Sunlight
by megan.daisy.9
Summary: Megan Ellis' life changes completely when a series of events occur; her mother is missing, a hole has appeared in her room and an infamous serial killer has made himself known. But when she meets Team Sonic and the Sub Zero Heroes, things slowly get better. Will Megan be able to save her mother ... or die trying?
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**Author's Note:**

**Hello everyone and welcome to 'Sunlight', a Horror/Tragedy story set in the Sonic, Ice Age and Silent Hill universes. This idea came to me when I was watching a walkthrough of Naughty Dog's 2013 video game,'The Last of Us' and whilst I was watching it, I thought: "Wouldn't it be cool if a possible human protagonist for a future Sonic game was similar to Ellie and the character Jodie from Quantic Dreams' Beyond: Two Souls?" It is unlikely I know, but that was one of the reasons why my original character came to mind. She starts off rather shy but as the story goes on, she'll become more confident and I hope that you all will like her. :) ****Anyways, without futherado, feel free to leave your thoughts in a review and I hope you all enjoy Chapter 1! :)**

****Plot Summary:****

**Megan Ellis' life changes completely when a series of events occur; her mother is missing, a hole has appeared in her room and an infamous serial killer has made himself known. But when she meets Team Sonic and the Sub Zero Heroes, things slowly get better. Will Megan be able to save her mother ... or die trying?**

**OC Faceclaim: Ellen Page as Megan Ellis.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sonic, Ice Age or Silent Hill. **

* * *

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

_"And now, the news. Yesterday in Ashfield and the woods near Silent Hill, the bodies of five murder victims and a sixth severely wounded female were discovered. The woman was immediately rushed to St. Jerome's Hospital, but died a short time later of her injuries. She had been identified as a Miss Eileen Galvin of Ashfield."_

_"The last body discovered was found in Room 302 of the South Ashfield Heights apartments. It is believed to be that of its' occupant, Henry Townshend. The body was reportedly disfigured beyond recognition, making identification impossible."_

_"Once again, we've got late-breaking news... Five unnamed police officers have been found dead, for reasons unknown, in the South Ashfield Heights apartments, along with its superintendent, Mr. Frank Sunderland."_

_"All other residents of South Ashfield Heights have been rushed to St. Jerome's Hospital, many complaining of severe chest pain. These strange incidents are similar to the ones which occurred in Silent Hill some years ago."_

_"More news to follow."_

**...**

It was shocking, hearing the news that Eileen was one of the victims who died. I remember I sometimes saw her in the streets, coming back from a weekly shopping trip and we would have a pleasant chat. She was a really lovely woman to talk to and I enjoyed chatting with her, during the times we met. The last time I saw her, she was smiling and slightly blushing at the same time. Apparently she had a slight crush on this dude...Henry Townshend, I think it was. We both didn't know much about him, but I playfully teased her and told Eileen to 'go get him!'.

_But now they're both gone. And like they always say, sometimes we have to leave the past behind and move on._

I guess I should probably tell you a little about myself whilst we're still here; my name is Megan Ellis, I'm sixteen years old and to other people, I'm just a normal teenager. But actually I'm not, due to the fact that I'm on the autistic spectrum. This affects how I do things; such as communicating and trying to develop a bond with those my age and younger. Because of that, I spend most of my time alone and isolated. Sure, some of them gave me a chance and I gladly took every one, but it wasn't the same.

_Well ... at least I had my parents and family by my side to get through it._

On a brighter note, everyone has things that they are interested in; favourite movie, game, singer or band. My interests were a little different, but the same too. Ever since the age of five, I've been a fan of the Ice Age movie franchise. I've watched them all and bought some of the merchandise and posters, literally covering my entire bedroom with them. Well, I managed to save a large amount of space for a certain video game franchise I like too. Here's a little hint; the main protagonist is a speedy blue hedgehog going by the name of Sonic. He's pretty cool, I have to say. What I'm about to tell you now is a story of what I've been though, two months ago. Memories that are breaking as I remember them; some I keep close to my heart and others I desire to forget. It all started three weeks after hearing the news of Eileen's death. I was working at school and going through life as I normally would.

_But after returning home, that was when my life changed completely._

* * *

I groggily opened my eyes and let out a tired yawn, sitting up in my Ice Age and Sonic covered bed and taking in my surroundings as I did so. My bedroom's walls were painted in a creamy-white colour and draped in posters from my favourite video-game and movie franchises, accompanied by a large number of pictures from my life. I also had a small bookshelf sitting on the right side of my room, a few metres away from my radiator which was placed underneath my window. The floor was coloured in a soft brown fabric, whilst a warm light shone through the window, somehow making the entire room appear as an inviting location. The first thing I did after climbing out of my bed, was grab my hairbrush and run it through my light brown hair, checking to see if there were any knots present. Thankfully there weren't, which lead to me tying my hair up in my usual ponytail, with my fringe travelling down the right side of my face and stopping a few metres above my right eyebrow. Afterwards, I stripped out of my blue pyjamas into an outfit which consisted of a long-sleeved white shirt, a pair of dark-blue jeans and white trainers. I then grabbed my green and blue nylon backpack (which had a small number of Sonic badges and pins attached to it), slung my arms through the straps and exited my bedroom to find myself walking into the bathroom to sort myself out and take a look at myself before going into the living room.

To be honest, I was feeling a little nervous today. As my time at school was due to finish shortly, the other students and myself were still preparing for our final exams and today, we were given a last chance to get everything on track before the process began. I rested my hands on the porcelain white sink, trying to calm my breathing as I gazed into the glass mirror. Due to my autism, people would often think of me as anti-social. But the truth was that I was shy. _Painfully_ shy. I sometimes told myself to be more outgoing and I would try my best to approach a stranger and strike up a pleasant conversation... But due to the horrific bullying I endured throughout my life, it wouldn't work as I was often teased for being "weird" and "uncool".

_But one day, it will work. Just you wait._

After sending a small nervous smile towards my reflection, I released my hands and exited the bathroom to find myself walking down the hallway into the living room, allowing the sounds of a TV programme to greet my ears. The living room had a wide space which was filled with a creamy-white sofa and chair which sat beside each other on the right side of the apartment. A dark-brown table sat a few metres in front of the furniture, with a black and red exercise bike perched in front of four small windows. There was also another creamy-white sofa which sat a few feet away from a large black TV near the exercise bike. The walls were painted in a bright white, whilst the floor was draped in a furry grey fabric. The kitchen on the left side of the apartment looked a little different from the living room, as its' walls were draped in bright white tiles and the wooden floor was a light-brown colour. The counters were painted in a darker shade of grey whilst the wooden shelves and drawers were painted in a darker brown.

"Oh, morning Megan!" A familiar voice greeted my ears happily, influencing me to place my backpack down by the chair, venture into the kitchen and face the owner of the voice who was my mother. She was a really lovely lady in her early forties, looking pleasant in her work outfit; a blue long sleeved shirt with darker jeans and a pair of black boots. Her hair was just like mine, but only a darker shade of brown and not tied up in a ponytail. Just like me, Mum was quite shy but not as much as I was and like I said before, I was really happy to have her in my life.

"Morning Mum!" I replied brightly, sending a huge grin in my mother's direction. "I take it Dad's at work already?"

"Yes, that's right. He's only going to be there for a couple of weeks, due to what his boss asked him to do. But once he's back, we can have some family time." Mum answered, returning my grin as she finished making her lunch for today. But then, Mum's grin faded into a concerned look which lead to her turning to face me. "How are you feeling about your GSCES, though?"

"I'm..." I began, finding myself trailing off for two seconds as I struggled to calm my nerves about the amount of time I had left at my secondary school. "I'm feeling a bit nervous, because I _really _want to get a good result and achieve the grades I need for what's coming up next year. I'm just ... I'm just hoping that everything's going to be fine, you know?"

Hearing my words, Mum's concerned look was replaced by a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Megan. Your Dad and I believe that you will achieve a positive result and if you don't manage to achieve them, you can always retake your exams." I nodded in agreement happily, just as Mum was instantly reminded of something. "_Oh, _before I forget! Your dad said that he's going to give you a ring at break time, just to see how you're doing."

"Okay," I chirped in reply, quickly rinsing my water bottle and refilling it with water as I began making my lunch. "Sounds cool to me, thank you for letting me know!"

After I made my cheese sandwiches and put them along with a kit-kat bar, two cheese strings and a red apple into my blue and white lunchbox, I quickly poured some cereal and milk into a bowl, grabbed a spoon from the cutlery section in the counters and placed my lunchbox into my backpack. I then took my breakfast into the living room, sat down on the chair and began eating whilst glancing at the TV every couple of seconds to see what was playing. The TV was currently on the news channel, but a commercial revealing information about Sonic's 25th anniversary next year was playing during a break. Seeing Sonic, Tails, Amy and their friends on television always brought a smile to my face, same goes for the Herd! Just knowing that those two groups were doing well and felt happy, was good. But ... just as I finished my breakfast and was about to show Mum the commercial excitedly, I was suddenly struck by a series of visions.

_Looking back on this, it was ... It was almost like a number of flashbacks someone would receive, during their last moments._

I saw a 24-year old man with dark-tanned skin, long dirty blond hair, piercing green eyes and a menacing but calm expression on his cleanly-shaven face. Dried blood caked his hair, face and dark blue coat, making him appear as a threat. I couldn't hear the majority of his words but thanks to my skill in lip-reading, I was able to figure what he was trying to say. And they sent a cold, frightening and uneasy sensation crawling through me.

_**"You're it. The last of the 21 Sacraments, the Final Sign. The Receiver of Wisdom."**_

The man's image then morphed into something _more _unsettling. A woman (or a ghost, I should say) floated a few feet away from me, clad in a dark-red top which exposed her chest, a short skirt and a pair of high heels. Her face was _incredibly _pale, almost as white as a sheet of paper and fresh blood coated her mouth. Thick black hair covered her eyes and fell down her back, strewn across the floor. Her fingers were also coated with blood and two golden bracelets were wrapped around her wrists. I couldn't tell the emotions she had, but I felt intense and powerful pain beginning to build up in my head. That obviously meant that she had me in her negative books, and was not happy with me. I didn't remember doing something to provoke her, as I never saw her before in my life! But the woman's ghost seemed _very _interested in inflicting pain on me, during to my crippling headache. _What is she going to do, Whatisshegoingtodo?! _I gritted my teeth and clenched my eyes shut tightly in order to prevent a tormented scream ripping from my throat, fighting to keep my fear of her hidden.

"Megan, are you okay? ... Hey, _hey talk to me. ... Megan!_"

I opened my eyes and discovered that the woman's ghost had disappeared. Sitting in her place, was my concerned mother who was gripping my shoulders and shaking me slightly to snap me out of my vision. "Are you okay? What happened?!"

Rubbing my head, I blinked a couple of times to snap myself back to reality before answering. "Y-Y-Yeah! I'm fine...!" I stammered, mentally kicking myself for not revealing the visions I just had. I never saw anything like them before and truth be told, I didn't want to see them again. Plus my mother would probably freak out if I told her about my visions, so I kept them secret. "I can't remember...I got a vision but ... I can't remember what I saw, I'm sorry!" After those words left my mouth, we were left in a moment of silence, thinking the whole thing over. I felt very shaken. I never really believed in ghosts but...maybe the vision I had was trying to tell me that they actually did exist?

_Something strange is going on here, I can tell._

Just then, Mum released her hands from my shoulders and pulled herself to her feet, gesturing for me to follow her. "I think we should get going now. But if you remember something today, message me and let me know, okay?"

Upon hearing my mother's words, I nodded. "Y-Yeah, okay, sure. I will do."

After I quickly washed my bowl and spoon, I switched the TV off, grabbed my backpack and slid my arms through the straps. I then followed Mum out of our room, making sure that I had my butterfly keys and light-blue butterfly purse with me. Our room was located on the third floor of the apartment complex so there were only three flights of stairs to descend, which was a little tough occasionally. But once Mum and I exited the building into the pleasant warmth of the sun, my spirits soared back up as I prepared myself for the events which were about to occur.

_Okay, first the Subway Station, then King Street Line and bam! North Ashfield High. Let's see how today goes._


	2. Chapter 2: Life at School

**Chapter 2: Life at School**

_(32 minutes later, North Ashfield High...)_

"Bye sweetheart! Love you!"

"Love you too Mum!"

I waved at my mother as she disappeared from view; on her way back to the Subway entrance we came from recently. The journey was just like any other, but this time it was a little different. I was still shaken by the horrifying visions I received of the creepy man in the blue coat and the female ghost with the long thick hair, so I remained silent for pretty much the whole way. Mum tried to make conversation by talking about all of the exciting plans she had for the weekend, I responded positively but like I stated before, I was quiet for a long time.

_Alright, let's do this..._

Shaking the thoughts away, I walked up to the front entrance and pressed the button which made the large glass doors open. Just as most secondary schools are, North Ashfield High was massive. Wide open spaces such as the canteen, library and outside, along small and medium sized spaces which happen to be all the classrooms and science labs in one huge building with five floors. As I walked into the main reception area and did my weekly job of delivering the register box to and fro my classroom, I noticed that I somehow arrived very early as I was the only one who was around.

_But what if I get caught up in a nightmare from those visions?!_

"_Argh, _stop being so paranoid, Megan." I told myself in annoyance as I turned to make my way to my classroom. "The others will be here soon, don't worry."

_Suddenly, my fears became a reality._

Instead of the glass doors that stood in front of me, they were now rusted shut tight and covered in a mixture of dried and fresh blood, as were the walls and furniture all around me. "Oh no."

A cold laugh made me jump and turn round. The man in the blue coat was standing a few metres away, with a smirk that was enough to increase the creepiness scale up to 100. Seeing him there, reminded me of something on my local radio I heard a few weeks back. It was about... Round 2 or 3 with a murder case involving a dude named Walter Sullivan who killed himself in jail, a few years ago.

_No. It can't be him, it would be impossible if it was! He's dead!_

"Who the hell are you?!" I asked, backing away as he slowly advanced towards me in a threatening manner. I didn't get an answer, as his smirk only just got more menacing. "Stay _back!_"

_Oh nononono! F*ck no!_

I pulled my fists up in front of me, in an effort to defend myself. My breathing was becoming more heavy and quick as I realised that I was now pressed against the massive doors, just as he was about to close in on me. That was when my surroundings suddenly changed again. Everything was back to normal, the doors were no longer rusted and the walls weren't covered in blood anymore. Just then, something a little surprising and negative happened. The doors opened as I took a step back, making me lose my balance and fall to the ground, letting a frightened yelp escape from my mouth.

_At least I didn't hit my head too hard..._

I groaned in pain, struggling to get back on my feet and gingerly rubbing my head afterwards. To my great relief, some boys and girls had started appearing, making their way towards their classrooms. "Phew..."

Soon after gathering my things together and picking up the box again, I began the trek to my classroom. It was a bit of a long way there, which always seemed to get on my nerves but like they always say, sometimes it's nice to explore our surroundings and take them in. The sun's rays reflected the summery flowers and trees with it's warmth, brightening everyone's mood. One of the thoughts on my mind was how Dad was at work; I hoped that he was doing okay, since his job seemed pretty tough.

Another one was what it would be like to meet Sonic and the Herd. I mean, a set of characters from a video game franchise and a movie franchise together in the same room. How cool would that be?! I smiled as I imagined myself actually communicating with them; they would understand my condition like my parents did, and we would all just hang out and have a really great time. But unfortunately, that would never happen.

_Well hey, we can always dream right?_

After entering the school again from a different entrance, I stopped at the long staircase that stood a few metres away. My classroom was all the way up on the fifth floor, meaning that I had to do a long, long trek in order to get there.

"Ugh, here we go..." I sighed heavily, as I began to make my way up.

There was a peaceful silence and the only things I could hear were my footsteps and my quiet breathing. Normally, I would consider this alright but this time, I felt cautious. I didn't want the creepy man to show up again; nor I wanted to see any other supernatural activity. I heard rumours that it came from Silent Hill, but I refused to believe it as I always thought it was a nice and quiet town. I never actually went there but I liked the photos of the mountains at sunset, rays reflecting on the silvery-blue Toluca Lake, the buildings and major attractions.

_Maybe someday, I can go myself and take some pictures to add to my photography book.._

I eventually reached the fifth floor and soon, I was joined by a large of group of students from my class. They seemed to be absorbed in their conversation to notice that a teenager with autism was in their presence. One who thought of to be nice and kind, just a little anti-social. I waited a little while for them to acknowledge my presence, but they never did.

Shrugging, I opened the door and stepped into the corridor which lead to my destination.

_Hopefully today's going to go well..._


	3. Chapter 3: Teenage Confrontation

**Chapter 3: Teenage Confrontation**

At long last, it was break time. I stood in the canteen, dialling my father's number and lifting my mobile phone up to my ear. I waited patiently, thinking about what I had to say. "Alright..."

After a while, he answered with a _"Hello?" _and I giggled. "Hey Dad, it's me."

_"How's it going kiddo?"_

I grinned. Judging by his tone, Dad seemed pretty happy that I was on the other end. "Everything's ... going okay over here, thank you. Mum told me this morning that you were going to ring, so I thought I'd ring you myself."

_"I see. At least you didn't forget."_

I laughed. "Yeah, I am pretty forgetful, sometimes."

Hearing this, Dad chuckled and it seemed like he was about to change the subject, before I ended up beating him to it. "So, how's it going at your workplace? Everyhing going well over there?"

"_It's been quite busy here. But my boss isn't screaming at one of us right now, so that's a plus._"

"I agree, definetly." I replied with a chuckle, relieved knowing that things were going well. There were two seconds of silence, before Dad said something that _really _surprised me. _"I take it you're still thinking about that hedgehog, right?"_

Quickly shutting my eyes and opening them again, I realised that I had to accept the fact that my cheeks had turned to a really bright red. And I mean, _really_ bright. "Congratulations, Dad. Because guess what? I'm blushing now!" I said, trying hard to stifle an amused laugh.

_"That was what I was aiming for Megan!" _

I have to admit, deep down, I was smiling at the idea. But Sonic had Amy with him so regardless, nothing was going to happen because they weren't real. Like I said before, I would imagine and dream about meeting Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles and the others. I knew it was impossible, but... if they were out there, living in the real world and walking among us humans, it would be like...mine and the other fans' dreams were becoming a reality. I didn't realise that I had remained quiet for about nearly ten seconds until Dad spoke up.

_"Hey, are you okay?"_

I shook my head quickly and pulled myself together. "Yeah, I'm fine... Just got lost in my own world, I guess..."

_"Oh right. I got a little worried there..."_

"You don't need to worry about me." I said. "I'm a tough cookie!"

Dad let out an amused chuckle, after those words left my mouth. _"Unfortunately I have to go now, as work is harassing me again. Tell your mum that I said to say Hello, when you see her. Love you kiddo."_

"Okay I will, I love you too Dad."

As soon as the phone call ended, I instantly put my phone back in my jean pocket and headed straight outside to enjoy the fresh air, going through a different entrance into the main building. My destination was the library which happened to be close to the staircase I went up a few hours earlier. As I weaved my way through the crowds of teenagers; my eyes darted all around the long corridor as I took in my surroundings. Girls and boys were in their separate friendship groups, chatting about their daily lives. Meanwhile, others were making their ways to their destinations and looking at their diaries. I went through the large double-door which waited for me at the end, and caught sight of a notice board showing an image of a latin teenage girl who looked about 13 or 14 years old. Her hair was a dark brown and was swept up in a bun, revealing her golden-brown skin and bright revealing outfit. A caption was put underneath her picture, written in a bold-black font:

_**In Memory of:**_

_** Cynthia Velasquez**_

_**1985 - 2015**_

_**R.I.P**_

I couldn't help but stare at it for a while. I suddenly got a flashback of the female ghost with the long black hair from South Ashfield Station, and an unsettling thought hit me like a punch in the face. It didn't seem possible, but what if ... What if she was the ghost I saw in my vision? _No. It couldn't be possible, as they didn't look like they had similarites from what I saw in the vision and the girl's picture. But ... I swore that something was telling me that-_

I didn't want to think about the topic any further, so I ended up shrugging my thoughts away. Less thinking about the vision I had, more thinking about my college schedule. Just as I was about to turn away from the image ... a series of excited voices greeted my ears. _Oh no..._

"_It's them!_"

"_Let's get out of their way!_"

"Who are they gonna go for this time?!

"Hopefully it's going to be someone who deserves it!"

Knowing very well who was coming, I quickly dashed into the library, making absolute sure that they didn't see me. No one wanted to be their target and some of my classmates happened to be a group of their victims. The library had a wide space, which was filled with a large desk and chair on the right side and a set of grey desks and black chairs on the left. Black computers were also seated on the desks and the large amount of bookshelfs were painted in a light brown colour. I hid behind the nearest tall shelf of books and set my backpack down quietly onto the floor at my feet. Suddenly, the door was swung open with a loud bang and a voice rang out.

"_Where is she?!_"

Peeking out a little from my hiding place, I saw who the voice belonged to. A group of girls (known as the Princesses of North Ashfield High) sauntered in, being lead by a girl my age referred to as the 'Queen'. They usually bully weaker students and are mostly well known for that. Whenever she was around boys, the leader was a little too seductive for their liking, making them fall under her temporary spell.

"Where is that weird kid?!"

_Oh no! Nononono! She means me! How do I get out of this?! ... Screw this, I'm not going to let them get me, I gotta get out of here._

Racking my brains, I had to think of an escape plan and a plan B. Maybe I could distract them long enough for me to grab my backpack and make a run of it, or I could wait until they get distracted by something and bolt for the door. The second option seemed better in my opinion, as I didn't want to get into a fight with the girls.

"Okay..." I whispered in my head. I prepared myself to run, making sure that my footsteps weren't too loud for the girls to hear. Having heard a lot about them, I knew they would make their victims suffer if they caught them. I hoped that it wasn't going to happen to me or any other students; some whom were watching the scene unfold through the clear glass windows sitting on both sides of the door.

"_There she is!_"

"_Oooooh no_, you're not walking out on me you b*tch! _C'mere!_"

I swore quietly with panic surging through me, sprinting for the door as fast as I could go ... until I was suddenly jumped on and pinned to the ground, _just seconds _before I reached the door! _F*ck, I was so close!_ I was then violently turned round, so that I was forced to stare at the leader. Clad in a revealing blue tank top, a pair of ripped shorts and black boots which travelled up to her knees, the brown haired girl's blue eyes narrowed in slits as she glared down at me. Her hands were wrapped tightly around my throat, threatening to cut off my air supply. I began thrasing, twisting and turning frantically in an attempt to escape, but she was too f*cking strong! "_Let me go, please let me go!_" I managed to yell out, trying hard not to end up suffocating.

"Where do you think you're going, _freak?_" She sneered, tightening her grip. I grunted, struggled and squirmed in an effort to escape, but my attempts to do so were complete failures. "God, what the hell do you _want from me?!_"

Her answer was enough to send me into hysterics. "We all want you to leave this place and _never_ come back."

_Really? That's what everyone wants me to do?! _

I stood my ground, refusing to give up whilst I stared into the girl's icy eyes with a pleading and frantic look, desperate to get out of the situation. "L-L-Look, I'm not weird, okay?! What I have is a condition which is really tough to handle sometimes! Other than that, I'm perfectly normal!_ Honest to god, I am!_"

The leader leaned a little closer towards me and glowered dangerously, letting out a chuckle. "You are _so_ wrong, freak. You don't belong here and you never will, _get the f*ck out of our lives now!_"

With a scream, I thrashed even harder and she began wrestling with me, intent on keeping me down and sending hurtful insults in my direction. The other girls watched and cheered their leader as she bullied me. I felt so bad for all of their victims and for their possibly planned next target. The fight went on for a while, I attempted to shove her off but she started delivering brutal blows to my face and stomach, forcing a series of pained screams to come out. I was _even more_ frantic as I struggled to free myself but she ended it by punching me on the nose, so hard that I felt a painful throb and heard a loud crack. She then pulled herself up to her feet and turned to face her mates with pride. "Let's get outta here, girls. I'm done with this weird little b*tch."

"Yeah, we'll be _super_ glad when she's gone!" One of the others agreed, turning to send a hateful glare in my direction.

And with that, they exited the library, leaving me curled in a fetal position on the floor. I had a quick look at my hands and already, they were covered in blood from my now broken nose. My lips were puffy, due to the large number of times she punched me and I knew that I'd get bruises soon. Unfortunately, my white t-shirt was also now stained with a tiny portion dripping from my nose and to make things worse, more blood began to slowly gush out of my nose, influencing me to cover it with my hands again quickly. I groaned in pain as I struggled to get up on my feet, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

_Sonic... If only you, your friends and the Herd were real..._


	4. Chapter 4: Disappearance

**Chapter 4: Disappearance**

_(16:30pm...)_

Well, after that scuffle with the 'Queen' of North Ashfield High, I was in pretty bad shape. Luckily one of the teachers, (a nice and friendly male in his early 20s) found me and took me up to First Aid to get me cleaned up. He wanted to know what happened so I told him, carefully choosing my words as I did so. Usually some of the leader's female victims would have broken down emotionally after their assault, but me, that wasn't going to happen. Like I said to Dad on the phone, I'm a tough cookie.

It was now the end of the day, and I had just come out of the school building, feeling relieved that I was able to head home. To the far right was a large group of kids waiting for their local bus to come and get them. I could hear murmurs coming from the left and without guessing, I realised that group just happened to be gossiping about my brutal assault.

_Not cool, guys. Not cool._

"Hey guys, did you hear about the Queen's recent attack that happened at break-time today?"

"Oh my god, _yes!_ It was on that weird girl with the so-called 'autism'."

"Guys, I was there when she came out of the library with that teacher. She had a broken nose and there was blood everywhere!"

The rest of the group gasped and snickered, wearing massive grins. Meanwhile, I honestly couldn't believe what I was hearing. Clearly these guys didn't know what autism actually was, and I wasn't going to walk over to them and show how hurt my feelings were. So I decided to give myself a goal to achieve.

_Alright, when the time comes, I'm gonna get the confidence to gather everyone together and tell them about my condition and the difficulties I went through. Hopefully that make them understand..._

It sounded perfect. I just needed to wait for the right time. I quickly crossed the road onto the pavement and began making my way to the subway station, trying my best to ignore the constant chats about what happened to me earlier.

"Was there a lot of blood?"

"Yup, there was _a lot_. You should have seen it, it was all over her t-shirt too!"

"Well deserved."

Calming my breathing, I just continued on. The journey on the pavement went on for a little while longer until the staircase leading down into the subway, revealed itself. I took a couple of steps down, looking back at my school which had almost disappeared from my view. After a while, I turned round and descended the staircase.

_I really can't wait to get back..._

As soon as I reached the bottom, I took in my surroundings. The walls were a dull grey, making their bright notice boards stand out and make themselves known. Already there were thousands of people weaving their way through the massive crowd that had formed just a few hours ago. It was like a normal, regular subway station. I began making my way towards my destination; a platform which would send me the train I needed to get back to the King Street Line in South Ashfield. It was simple, just go through the turnstile at the end, head down a staircase and I'm there.

Soon, I reached the turnstiles in a different area which seemed to be surrounded by silence. There were small groups of people here and there, some of them my age. I knew that I wouldn't get anywhere if I struck up a friendly conversation with them, so I tipped my three coins into the machine, and went through. I descended a shorter staircase and eventually, the platform came into view.

"Bingo." I said as I got off.

I could see some students from my school waiting for their train on the far left; some of them looking at me with cold glares and spitting insults at me.

_Just ignore them, just ignore them..._

Waiting patiently for my train to come, I began thinking about what I could do later once I got home. Mum would be pleased to see me as always, and I would be pleased to see her. I'd tell her about the incident I had, and we'd figure out a way to resolve things. Maybe if I get time, I could fire up my PS3 and play a little bit of Sonic's games, just to keep my mind of everything that had occurred at the school today. It was only a little while longer, before the kids at the end really started to spit their insults at me, this time much louder. But luckily, my train was arriving so I just kept myself together and turned my back to them.

"Hey lady, go to hell!"

"Don't _ever_ come back to our school!"

"You don't deserve_ anything good _in life!"

_Why...? Just why?_

The train then eventually stopped and the doors opened. I stepped onto it and searched for a place to sit; nearly all of the seats were taken but there was one left which happened to be close to the door which lead to the exits. I sat down, setting my backpack onto my lap and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Suddenly, I was briefly startled when a loud noise indicated that the train was now moving and it finally set off.

"Phew..." I breathed, letting out a sigh of relief.

I watched as the platforms faded into rapid colours going at a high speed. The other passengers just chatted about their daily lives whilst I remained in my usual state of silence. Life was pretty damn tough with my condition, every day I would be known as the 'weird kid with autism' and I would try so hard to make everyone understand. But every attempt became a failure.

_There has to be more options... There has to be..._

It was still a long way to go before the train stopped, so I decided to quickly grab my IPod, jam in my headphones and listen to some favourite songs of mine. I scrolled through my playlist which seemed to be endless and eventually found one. Closing my eyes, I let a small smile appear as I heard a voice singing. _Just breathe, kiddo... Just breathe... _The others were still chatting in their groups, whilst taking in their surroundings. We all didn't know it, but the train seemed to go more faster. Eventually it stopped at the King Street Line platform with a screech, making me open my eyes and take out my headphones in temporary shock. "Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_"

A second noise then erupted, indicating that the doors had opened and already, the others were walking out. I placed my IPod back in my backpack, slipped my arms through its' straps and began making my way out of the train.

_Now all that's left is to get up that escalator... _

Once I got it, I took one step and remained still as the escalator took me and several other people up to the exit. It was a long way up and all I could do was look around. "Almost there..."

I thought about how Sonic might be doing; maybe he was probably in Soleanna or Empire City, kicking Eggman's butt in an epic never-ending battle. Just like my idol, I wasn't a particularly huge fan of the villain. Ever since I heard the nickname 'Baldy McNose Hair', I've been addressing him as that non stop. Literally every time he came on screen.

_Such a cool nickname..._

Eventually, I got off and came face to face with the final staircase that would take me up to the streets. I made my way up and immediately set my sights on my apartment building which was a few metres away. As I entered the double doors, I began sprinting up the staircases as fast as my legs could carry me. Soon enough, the front door of my apartment came into view. Getting out my butterfly keys, I placed one into the lock and turned it, opening the door.

"Hey Mum, I'm home!" I said, cheerfully as I closed the door behind me.

No answer. I expected my mother to come out smiling and say "Hello Megan!". But I got nothing ... Just silence. "Mum?" I asked with concern lacing my tone. I began searching in all of the areas; living room, bathroom, bedrooms and storeroom. But she wasn't there. I then discovered a note waiting on a small cupboard in my room with two sentences written in red ink:

_**Don't call for help!**_

_**Walter.**_

"No..." I whispered, slowly becoming more and more panicked. "No, no, no! _Nononono!_"

Breathing heavily, I paced around the room, trying to calm myself down during the attack I was having. Why? Why did Mum have to go missing? _Why?!_ _Who was this 'Walter' dude?! _Unable to control myself any longer, I let out a loud panicked scream and pounded my fist into my bed covers. My day was so bad. I got a broken nose and beaten up by the Queen, only to come home to discover that my kind and sweet mother had mysteriously been taken away. I instantly ran into the living room and grabbed my mobile phone out of my pocket, dialling Dad's number and pacing to and fro nervously, waiting for him to pick up.

"C'mon, Dad!" I groaned in annoyance and concern, mentally begging him to answer. "Pickpickup_Pickup!_"

But unfortunatley, he didn't answer which influenced a voice mail to appear. _REALLY?! I know you're at work right now and I feel bad for interrupting but ... Please please Pleease answer me, Dad! Mum's been taken!_

Just as I was about to dial his number again, I heard a noise coming from outside my front door. I instantly ran and looked into the peephole, just to see what was going on. Someone draped in blue was bending down, apparently picking something up that he dropped. As he pulled himself up to his feet, I realised who he was and my eyes widened with shock.

_What the?!_

The person outside my door was not a person, but an animal. It was a hedgehog who looked about twenty four years old. A calm and mature adult instead of the hyperactive and cheerful teenager he once was. I could tell that there was still a hint of the teenager in him somewhere. Instead of being a regular brown colour most hedgehogs are, he was draped in a bright blue. His emerald green eyes matched mine perfectly and I could definitely see that whenever he smiled, it would reveal his kind and friendly personality.

_Sonic... He's real..._

"Oh man," The adult hedgehog groaned in frustration. "I hope my luck changes before Tails and I have to go to that party."

He looked at my front door for a little while longer. It was almost like...he was making eye contact with me. Like he was actually looking at me with a friendly grin. But then, Sonic walked away. Maybe to get going to a restaurant or head out to face Eggman once again. I turned from my door, closing my eyes tightly and taking the realisations in. Suddenly, a loud crash came from my bedroom, making me open my eyes again and jump slightly in shock.

_What was that...?_

I made my way over, threw open the door and discovered a huge gaping hole punctured into the wall next to my cupboard and mirror; accompanied by the voices of children and the sobbing of a woman. "What the hell?!"

On the floor in front of it, was a loaded pistol and a set of ten bullets. I bent down and gingerly picked them up, placing them in my backpack along with my IPod and headphones. After I got back up, I continued staring at the hole, filled with confusion. "I wonder if Mum was dragged through here by whoever took her?" I pondered in thought. There was only one way to find out.

With my weapon of choice safely with me, I lifted myself up and crawled through the hole.

_Don't worry, Mum. I'm coming, just hang in there..._


	5. Chapter 5: Elise

**Chapter 5: Elise**

I opened my eyes to discover that I was lying face down on some green grass. I pulled myself up to my feet and took in my surroundings; I was in a large forest filled with nature and life. A large castle stood a few miles away in the distance, giving me an impression of familiarity. I knew I haven't been there personally until now, but ... I swear I've seen this place before.

Gazing at everything in interest, I eventually set my eyes on a massive number of blossom trees crowding around a silvery-blue lake. I got out my pistol and clutched it tightly, just in case if anything threatening decided to jump and attack me. I walked cautiously, taking in every detail of the place I was in.

As I got closer, I noticed that I wasn't alone. A woman in her late 20s stood at the very end, presumably filled with as much interest as I was. She had long red hair flowing down, just stopping at her waist and wore a short-sleeved long white dress which reached her feet. To add a finishing touch, she wore a pair of two bright orange high heels and had a white feathery crown stored in her hair. I recognised her immediately.

_Oh, it's her..._

She then turned round, apparently heard my footsteps and her pale blue eyes widened in fright. I quickly placed my pistol on the ground and lifted my hands up, to show that I didn't mean harm. After a while, she eventually relaxed and addressed me with a smile. "Well, hello there. I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?"

Like when I always meet new people, I became shy. I wrapped my arms around my small frame and stepped forward. "Megan... And you?"

Even though I knew who she was, the reason why I asked for her name was that I didn't want to freak her out by revealing that I was one of Sonic's fans, having played most of the games including 06. The woman saw that I was nervous and gave me a look of sympathy. "You don't need to worry, I won't hurt you..."

_Well, that's a relief..._

"My name is Elise." She said, finally.

I nodded in acknowledgement, still keeping my distance. "So..., what are you doing out here?"

Elise's smile widened slightly. "Oh, I'm just taking an afternoon stroll. Enjoying the fresh air. Today seems quite lovely, doesn't it?"

"Um, yeah... I guess..." I replied, shyly.

My new friend then got an idea and she gestured for me to follow her. "If you'd like, I can take you on a tour around my kingdom? Maybe show you what we do here?"

_I'm in Soleanna, great._

"S-Sure..." I said after a small moment of thought. I then picked my pistol and placed it inside my jean pocket for now. After that, I began to follow Elise (who was only a few metres away), unwrapping my arms as I did so. To be honest, it felt really weird to talking to a Sonic franchise character. The blue blur himself was the first one I've seen and Elise was the first one who I've interacted with. My opinion of her was positive, but she had some moments which made me think: _"I'm not sure if I can understand this..."_

My only problem with her though, was that she was unable to defend herself. I understood why, because she had royal duties, but if she found herself in a threatening situation and no one was there to help, how would she get out of it?

I certainly wasn't a fan of escort missions and if our tour came to that, I decided that I was going to teach Elise how to defend herself. I guessed that she probably tried to help Sonic in his fights against Eggman, but still...

"So, um..., What is it that you do here?" I asked, curiously.

"Well..., when it came to special occasions, we used to hold the Festival of the Sun. Lots of visitors from all across the globe travelled here to celebrate with our citizens. There were fireworks full of radiant colours, dancing, singing and a glorious parade in the water." Elise explained. She seemed to be very happy as she walked with me.

Despite knowing this already, I found myself slowly growing interested. "Go on..."

"We worshiped our sun god, Solaris. He protected us from harm and watched over us, making sure that we are doing well." My new friend continued. "But then, a series of events occurred and he turned against us. Luckily, someone referred to as the 'Blue Wind' saved us from harm. He was really kind to me,"

_Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. How the hell do you still remember all that when you blew out the flame...?!_

I was shocked, but then decided to change the subject. "You mentioned someone named the Blue Wind?"

"Yes." Elise brightened at the mention of my idol. "I believe his actual name was-"

"Sonic." I finished for her. Hearing this, she looked at me with eyes wide as saucers. "You _know_ him?!"

_Duuuuh, of course I do!_

"Yeah..." I replied. "It's kinda a long story but...where I come from, everyone knows him. I haven't met Sonic personally, but just a few minutes ago, he was outside my front door."

My friend listened with interest. "Oh, how is he?"

"From the looks of things, I think he's doing pretty good." But then, my smile faded. "I just wish I had the confidence to open my door and strike up a conversation,"

Elise gave me a sympathetic look and placed her hand on my shoulder. "Just wait for the right time... When it comes, walk up to him and say 'Hello'. I'm sure Sonic won't mind."

_That's actually... a pretty good idea._

"O-Okay..." I said.

After that, we continued on and eventually made it into Soleanna New City. Tall buildings towered over us and numerous citizens strolled around the town, going on about their daily lives. I noticed a knife on the ground at my feet and picked it up, earning a worried look from Elise. "Hey, um... I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you know how to use this...?"

"Sort of,"

I then gave the knife to her, gesturing for her to take it. "Well, if you end up in a threatening situation, use this to defend yourself. I know this might sound weird, since we just met but, I just...would like to help you out if things go downhill."

My friend smiled and took the knife from my grasp. "That's alright, thank you,"

I returned the gesture and noticed that there was another hole punctured into the wall, near the entrance we just came from. "I ... I think I need to go check something quickly, do you mind me doing that?"

"No, not at all." Elise said, nodding to show that she understood.

"Okay, thanks," I then made my way to the hole, looking back at my friend. "I'll be back in a minute, don't worry,"

All I got was another nod and without hesitating, I crawled into the hole.

_Let's see where this heads to..._


	6. Chapter 6: Crisis City

**Chapter 6: Crisis City**

Truth be told, I expected to wake up in some place different, but I happened to be back in my apartment. Struggling to get together, I pondered over everything that occurred so far; getting beaten up, returning home, seeing Sonic, finding the hole and meeting Elise. I knew some parts actually happened but I was still confused. "What?!"

Pulling myself up to my feet, I took in the familiar surroundings of the living room. "No, no, it can't be! I swear, everything was real! ... Or was it...in my head, the whole time?"

I then snapped back to reality, shaking my head in disbelief. "No, that's just stupid. What am I thinking?"

Looking around, I noticed that the small cupboard next to the sofa I woke up on, had strangely been moved...god knows when. I shrugged and moved it, grunting and struggling as I did so. Behind it was another hole (much smaller) and a paragraph was written on a piece of paper beside it. "That's weird... How did this get here?"

I bent down, picked the sheet up and took a good ol' read, filled with curiosity and interest:

_"The faint hope I had is slowly changing to despair. I've somehow managed to tunnel this far, but no matter what I do, I can't get any farther._

_The hallway, the windows, the walls... It feel like this room is stuck in another dimension._

_Eileen never noticed..."_

"This is getting stranger and stranger," I muttered under my breath. Soon after reading that passage, I turned my head and looked into the new hole. The sight that greeted me was an ordinary bedroom. A bright shade of blue draped the walls and two darker shades of yellow and red coloured the carpet and bed. Sitting on it was Sonic and a seventeen year old Tails. They seemed very happy, enjoying each other's company as always.

"So what have you been up to recently, buddy?" Sonic asked.

The two-tailed fox grinned. "Well, I've just been tinkering with the tornado but other than that, not much has happened."

"I see." The blue hedgehog replied. "I'm heading out to meet Amy and Knuckles in the park a little later on, wanna come?"

Hearing this, Tails brightened up. "Sure!"

There was a moment of silence before Sonic turned to face Tails with an evil, mischievous smirk. "I'll race ya."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

Another moment of silence and they both tackled each other to the ground, grinning and snickering before Sonic dashed out of the room shouting: "Bet ya can't catch me!" Tails instantly ran after him, laughing with delight. "Ooooh, we'll see about that Sonic!"

I shook my head with amusement and lifted myself up, turning round as I did so. Since the gap in the hole was pretty wide, I couldn't help but think about how hilarious it would be if I looked in there and Sonic happened to be looking right back.

_Wouldn't that be funny?_

But then, I suddenly remembered. Elise! She was still waiting for me. I smacked my forehead in annoyance and went over to my bedroom where the hole was. Damn you Megan!

Once again without hesitating, I crawled in.

...

Instead of finding myself back in Soleanna New City, I was in a different city. It strangely looked just like the previous site but it was engulfed in flames. The tall skyscrapers and buildings were rusted and dark orangey-brown, fiery birds which spitted out fire to defend themselves flew all around the city as if they were guarding the entire place. I also saw that in the streets ahead, there were a couple of disfigured and weird-looking monsters wandering around. _Where the heck did those things even come from?! _The only good thing about it was that there was a decent blue sky, the rest earned a big nope. I pulled myself up to my feet and clutched my pistol tightly.

_I gotta find Elise..._

"Megan!"

High heels clicked at a quick pace, accompanied by troubled panting. I turned to the right to see Elise running towards me, clutching her bloodied knife tightly in one hand and her skirts in the other. Looks like she was brave enough to take out of a couple of the monsters already. Way to go, girl.

"Elise!"

She eventually stopped and cupped her hands against her knees, gasping for breath. I walked up to her, placing my hand on her shoulder in concern, even though I was slightly confused as to why she was here. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes... I'm alright," Elise said, after managing to catch her breath, pulling herself up as she did so. "How did you get here?"

I frowned. "By coming through the hole that's right behind me. How did you end up here?"

"It's a long story," My friend answered. "We should probably find a way out."

Nodding in agreement, I released my hand from her shoulder and gestured for her to follow me. "You're damn right."

She eventually caught up with me and that was when our escape started. I ran at a steady pace, turning my head back every so often to check on my friend. She seemed okay so far, slightly disturbed by our surroundings but other than that, perfectly fine. I however, wasn't doing so good. I didn't have that many bullets so if I ran out, I would either have to resolve to using my fists or become an escort mission myself.

_Hell no, I ain't turning into that... _

I absolutely hated the idea of becoming baggage, so I pushed the thought away and kept my focus on getting out. There were two of the monsters ahead, making me instantly alert. Once we were close enough, I aimed my pistol right at the first one's head whilst Elise quietly snuck up on the second. I took a deep breath, knowing that this was the first time I had ever used a weapon to kill something and shakily pulled the trigger, just as my friend jumped on her target and stabbed it three times, killing it in a matter of seconds. Despite being the prim and proper queen I knew she was, Elise had a different side of her; she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. And I kinda liked that.

"Nice one." I said, jogging up to her whilst keeping a firm grip on my gun. Hearing this, Elise gave me a small smile. "You're doing well, yourself."

_Looks like this isn't so bad... Heh, heh..._

I noticed that there were several more monsters and a small group of fiery birds soaring into the sky. I knew why it wasn't dark and gloomy, because of what Silver and Blaze did at the end of their story. Speaking of which, maybe they were somewhere in my world too.

Continuing on, we remained cautious as we ran past the monsters, taking out the ones that were closest to us. The thoughts that ran through my mind were endless; I wondered what happened to my mother, what Sonic was doing right now and even worse, what if he got caught up in this ordeal with us. I shook my head and aimed my pistol at a nearby monster, firing two or three bullets to kill it. Both Elise and I cringed as the monster let out its' distorted dying squeal before it hit the ground, out for the count.

Just as I was about to aim at another one, a fiery bird swooped down and latched it's claws onto my legs, sending me flying and hitting the ground. This time, I did hit my head. Letting out a groan, I pulled myself up to my feet and noticed that Elise was getting attacked by the monster that I had aimed for earlier. "Oh no..."

The monster she was facing was rather large, practically towering over her. It did have the shape of a human face, mainly female and terribly disfigured. Elise screamed in fright, too terrified to be able to stand up to it. I boiled with rage and went sprinting towards them, aiming my gun at the monster's face as I did so. "No you don't!"

But suddenly, a second fiery bird swooped down and caught me again, this time keeping its' firm grip on my frame and dragging me away. I let out a yell of fury, struggling and squirming to break free and aim my pistol at it.

I kept looking at Elise's situation and my eyes widened in horror.

_Oh dear god... _

**M-E**

"_Elise,_ _get back_!"

Hearing the sound of Megan's voice calmed me down a little, letting me know that she was still there. But as much as I was concerned for my young friend, I had to think about my situation first. I readied my knife, waiting for this...creature to attack and deliver the blow that would end my life. But, it didn't do anything. Just kept advancing towards me as if to let me know that it was a threat.

_Okay, I need to take care of this myself..._

Even though I was terrified, I reminded myself that Soleanna needed its' queen to be brave, so I raised my knife back and quickly did what I had to do. Stabbing it into its' torso, the creature let out a distorted, but feminine cry as it reeled back, almost losing it's balance. I gasped, thinking that maybe I actually managed to kill it with one single strike. But, I was wrong.

My attacker pulled itself back up to it's feet and sent a blow which did some damage and sent me hitting the ground with a hard thud. I stumbled to and fro, struggling to clear my vision and get back up, but the creature delivered another blow on my own torso which caused a small part of my dress to rip apart and create an injury. Megan had apparently saw this as I heard her let out a furious yell of rage.

_Come on Elise, you have to try harder..._

I really wished for someone (maybe even Sonic) to show up and rescue us. I knew Sonic wouldn't be the one, since I blew out the flame but I thought...if he somehow would show up, then we would escape this terrible place and once we were back in Soleanna, I would introduce him to Megan. I felt like she deserved to get to know him, I mean... they were both kind and caring, would help me if I was in trouble and most of all, liked to run. They would be like siblings, I was sure of it.

But since it was just me and the young one, I had to take care of things. I pulled myself up to my feet and stabbed the creature again with a grunt. Instead of surviving barely, it let out that same horrifying cry and fell to the ground. I breathed heavily, trying to calm myself down after what I just did.

A troubled scream coming from behind startled me as I turned to see what was going on.

_Oh no... Megan..._

**E-M**

"_Alright, that's it!_" I screamed in anger. I had enough. As much as I loved animals, the fiery bird was going to go down.

Only just managing to wrench my shooting arm free, I aimed my pistol at my attacker and fired. Almost instantly, the bird came crashing down to the ground with me still in its' rough grip and as soon as it hit, I was sent flying onto the roads, letting out a yelp of fright as I did so. Once I landed, Elise came running as fast as her legs could carry her. "Megan, are you alright?!"

With a groan of pain, I struggled to lift myself up into a sitting position. "Not really, but I'll live."

My friend was about to offer me a hand when she noticed something on my arm, and gasped. "You're hurt."

Looking down, I saw that I had been cut and was bleeding pretty badly. What made it worse was that it left another stain on my shirt. "Don't worry about it, it's nothing."

_Great. Now this is gonna have to go in the wardrobe for a while. Man, it's my favourite one too..._

But Elise wouldn't give in, as she bent down to inspect it. "Don't say that. Here, let me help."

She ripped a small part of her dress to use as a bandage and carefully wrapped it around my arm. I nervously looked around and almost flinched when she touched it. That would be another part of my condition, I'm not really that good with physical contact due to autism, but someday soon I had to get used to it. "..Thanks for, um.. you know..."

All I got was a smile and an "You're welcome." from my friend. After a while, I got back up on my feet with some assistance and soon enough, we were on our way again.

_I hope things turn out okay eventually..._


	7. Chapter 7: Unfortunate Escape

_Werewolf99: _Hi, sorry I haven't been responding to you. The Ice Age characters will appear in Chapter 9, so you don't have to wait that long. Really glad that you find this interesting!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Unfortunate Escape**

The rest of the journey seemed okay, but there were still the occasional fights with the monsters and birds that lurked around. I was now much better shape, thanks to Elise's assistance earlier. I soon decided to tell her about my condition, my lack of friends and how Sonic had helped me by doing what he did best through my life. She was deeply moved by what I told her and shockingly, understood and accepted me, unlike all of the kids back at my school.

_Hey, maybe I might get an actual friend after all..._

Before that, Elise told me about her life of duty and sacrifice. She mentioned the things she had to do at the castle, give out orders, check on her citizens... My friend didn't really get the chance to do what she wanted, a chance to be free.

And that was when Sonic came in. One certain night during the Festival of the Sun. During so, the princess had travelled all across her kingdom with my idol, despite getting kidnapped by Eggman so many times. Then came the events of the Last Story. As soon as my friend mentioned Mephiles, I tell ya, I almost tensed up and nearly said: "Don't mention that name."

Having played 06, I hated the villain with a burning passion. When he struck Sonic and killed him, I literally jumped out of my seat and screamed. I was only seven years old when the game came out so, it was pretty horrible for me.

_But hey, at least there was a happy ending._

We came into a quiet area where no enemies were in view, and decided to take a quick break. I placed my hands on my hips, trying to think things over whilst Elise seated herself neatly on a nearby box with a blue and white star almost covering the whole thing. There was only a small moment of silence before the princess spoke up, apparently having a thought lingering on her mind.

"I hope my citizens are okay..." She murmured, so quiet that I nearly couldn't catch her sentence.

This made me instantly alert. "I'm sure they're fine."

_Hopefully..._

However, I couldn't stop worrying about my mother. I didn't know what was happening with her right now, and whatever Walter was doing to her right now, it certainly sent chills crawling down my spine. As soon as we got out, I would resume the tour and afterwards, say farewell. I didn't mind talking to new people, but I had a quest that I needed to focus on.

Elise saw this and even though she looked saddened, she nodded. "You don't have resume the tour, if you don't want to."

As soon as I heard those words, I gave her a look of shock. "No, I don't mind seeing the rest of your kingdom, it's just that..."

There was a pause. I didn't know how to finish my sentence, since I got so caught up with my worrying. "There's something that I really have to do."

"I understand. I know you might not want to talk about it, but maybe I can help..." The queen replied.

_Bingo!_

I smiled. "Thanks, that would be great."

Just afterwards, there was another pause. I began thinking about what the Herd were doing and what would happen if they turned out to be real as well. I then made up my mind and decided to reveal why I was here. "Um, I have to..."

Elise lifted her head up in a flash, suddenly alert. "Yes?"

_Damn, how do I phrase this right?!_

"I'm...looking for someone. My mother..." Were the words that I eventually managed to get out. "She...she went missing all of a sudden, whilst I was coming home from school."

I began pacing around, trying to keep myself from having another panic attack. Whenever I had been overcome by a form of anxiety, I would end up suffering from these attacks if I didn't manage to calm myself down.

Feel free to blame my habit of worrying too much for that.

"This guy...I don't know who he is, but his name is Walter. He's taken my mum somewhere and I'm here to find them." I continued, shaking my head and squeezing my eyes shut for a brief second.

Just then, I felt two hands grab my shoulders and spin me round, so that I found myself staring right into the eyes of a concerned Elise. "H-Hey!"

**M-E**

_Words cannot describe how massive the wave of sympathy was, when I heard that revelation come out of an innocent teenage girl._

I remembered how I lost both of my parents when I was a child, and I couldn't bear to think that the worst would come for Megan and her mother.

"Elise?"

_There has to be something I can do to help..._

I looked my young friend right in the eye, keeping a firm, but gentle grip on her shoulders. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry that this happened to you. Wherever you're going next, I'm coming with you."

"B-But don't you have a kingdom to look after?!" Megan asked, clearly confused as to what I was implying.

I tightened my grip. "No buts. You're only a young girl and you're out here, on a dangerous quest, by yourself. You should at least have someone looking after you, making sure that you're safe."

"The only person looking after me right now, is you." My friend replied.

_Oh..._

Hearing this, there was a moment of silence before I ended up doing the unexpected; I pulled Megan into my arms and hugged her tightly. Normally, I wouldn't have done this, but I felt so bad for her. I knew she would say something along the lines of "H-Hey we barely know each other!" or "What are you doing?!".

But she didn't do any of that.

The young girl wrapped her arms around my waist, returning the gesture and gave out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what to do..."

"I'm sure we'll think of something, don't worry..." I said, reassuringly.

We stayed like that for a longer, not saying a word. Eventually, I pulled away and then came up with an idea. "I'm just going to take a look around for some supplies. Are you okay here?"

Megan nodded, but didn't say anything. I smiled bravely and turned round, walking to the nearest exit out of the area we were in. Before that, I looked back at her to give four comforting words.

Which I didn't know, would be my last. "I'll be right back..."

"Okay..."

**E-M**

_(Several minutes later...)_

Elise said that she would be right back, and it feels like that it had been five years since she disappeared. I had began twirling my pistol in my hand, and tapping my foot with a hint of impatience. "Man, where are you?!"

_Heh, I'm becoming like Sonic when he got impatient..._

Suddenly, I heard a terrified scream. Followed by a familiar laugh. _Oh no...!_

Clutching my pistol tightly, I began sprinting towards the location where Elise supposedly went. Breathing heavily, I prayed to the gods that my friend was okay. "_Elise!_" I screamed as I ran. Darting past corners and weaving my way through the dark alleys, a feeling of dread overwhelmed me as I raised my pistol, prepared to burst in and save my friend.

_Come on, come on, come on! You got to save her Megan, you f*cking got to!_

But as I ran past one last corner, I froze in my tracks. My eyes widened with horror as I stared at the sight before me. _NO!_

Elise...

My first proper friend...

Was dead...

It was a sight that would forever scar me. I slowly walked over and knelt down. I felt _so_ overwhelmed; I was too late. Reaching over, I gently closed her eyelids and gingerly picked her knife. The same one I had given her as a weapon. "I'm so sorry..."

I remained there for a while longer, before lifting myself up. I decided that I would keep her knife as a memory. Placing both of the weapons back in my backpack, I looked up at the cool blue skies for anything that would soothe my guilt.

_I hope you rest in peace, Elise..._


	8. Chapter 8: Switchback Cove

**Chapter 8: Switchback Cove**

"_And now the news. We are greatly saddened to report that Queen Elise III of Soleanna has been found dead in the kingdom's forest. No one knows who is the murderer, but soldiers are currently investigating the case. Citizens have been paying tributes to the princess as they all realise that soon... They will need to find a new ruler._"

I sat up on the sofa as I did last time, still feeling guilty over what happened. _If only I managed to get there sooner..._ Lifting my legs over, I stared at the brown carpet, clenching my eyes shut and trying to calm my breathing.

_I should have saved her... I should have f*cking saved her!_

After I remained there for a little longer, I opened my eyes and pulled myself up to my feet, walking over to the smaller hole and kneeling down to peek through. "Let's see how Sonic's doing,"

Just like me, Sonic wasn't taking it very well either. He was pacing around his room, trying to pull himself together. I could hear occasional murmurs of Elise's name and a few metres behind him, was a small hole punctured into the wall. Maybe ... after hearing that news report, my idol remembered everything that happened in 06.

_Poor guy..._

"Sonic, calm down. You need to move on with your life."

"Believe me Amy, I want to. But, you remember what happened in Soleanna 9 years ago, right?!"

"Yes, I do!"

A female pink hedgehog who looked about twenty-one years old, came into view. She too was saddened at the loss, also remembered what happened in the kingdom. "Hey, why don't we head out somewhere to keep our minds of this. Just you and me..."

_Yeah, go on Sonic. It wouldn't hurt going out with Amy for a while now, would it? _

It took some convincing but eventually, my idol sighed and gave in. "Fine. But it's not a date, just us hanging out. Alright?"

"Yeah, sure." Amy replied, trying her best to stop herself from squealing. "I'll be waiting in the living room."

All she got was a nod and the pink hedgehog then left the room. Sonic sat down on his bed and took in his surroundings. Suddenly, he looked in my direction and slightly leaned forward. "Hello?"

I just remained silent. I didn't want Sonic to think of me as another crazy stalker, so I slowly backed away from the hole, not knowing that he had walked over to have a look in. "Nope, no one there."

Hearing this, I quickly looked back in, only to see Sonic walking out of his room to join Amy. I smacked my forehead in annoyance, mentally cursing myself for blowing another chance to strike up a conversation. "Damn..."

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't be doing this. But, I was only doing it out of concern. If anything happened, I would dart in to prevent it from occurring, only it was a serious issue. Pulling myself up, I grabbed my weapons and went into my bedroom.

Taking a deep breath and without hesitation, I crawled into the hole.

* * *

I was awoken by the sound of birds chirping and a soft breeze blowing. With some effort, I managed to pull myself up, intending to find out where I was this time. The location I was in, certainly wasn't Soleanna for sure. Instead it was a snowy forest, draped in a bright white from top to bottom. There were some shades of green peeking through the leaves, but it still looked wintery.

As I took in my surroundings shivering, I noticed that a hunting rifle had mysteriously been left on the ground. Almost like...it was left there for me. "Huh?"

Gingerly picking it up, I checked to see if it was already loaded or needed bullets. Turns out, it was ready to go with ten bullets in the chamber. "Well, seems to be enough. I suppose I'll find more." I muttered.

Just then, I was startled by the sound of animal footsteps. A large gazelle was looking around the snowy land, seemingly happy with itself. Although behind me, I could hear the quiet growling of a feline.

_Am I...where I think I am...?_

Shaking the thoughts away, I looked at the gazelle and reluctantly aimed my rifle at it. I didn't want to kill the poor animal, but something was telling me that I should. Just as I was about to pull the trigger, the gazelle walked away.

Squeezing my eyes shut and reopening them, I cautiously followed the animal. "I gotta go after it..."

The chase was tiring and exhausting, but it was worth it at the same time. The gazelle eventually stopped in a clearing. Two or three rocks were draped in snow and frost, revealing white sparkles seen from a long distance. I darted up to a medium sized cliff, making sure that I was well hidden from the gazelle's sight.

"Okay..."

Cautiously, I aimed my hunting rifle at the animal. I knew that deep down, a voice would be screaming at me to not shoot, followed by another one which would be telling me to do it. After a four-second silence, I quickly shut my eyes and pulled the trigger.

A deafening gunshot rang out as the gazelle screamed in pain, already sprinting off up a steep hill. I reopened my eyes, darted down the cliff and followed my target in pursuit. "I shouldn't have done that,"

I sprinted up the steep hill, trying my best to keep up. The poor animal then disappeared around a corner and I stopped by throwing my rifle onto the ground, gasping for breath. Just like Elise had done in Crisis City, I clasped my hands onto my knees and mentally cursed myself for shooting the gazelle.

_What am I doing...killing an innocent animal like a psychopath...?_

It wasn't like me to do such a thing, as I was a huge fan of animals. To be honest, I felt like that my mind was...almost being clouded by a source of possession, like I was being taken over an evil spirit. My suspicions were slowly confirmed when my vision was beginning to turn red, which lead to me clenching my eyes shut and reopening them in an attempt to fight it. A deep-male voice cut me off by whispering in my ear, making three words heard in a loud volume:

_"Kill, the animal."_

I later picked my rifle and continued on. Walking into another (much larger) clearing, I quickly ducked down behind the nearest log I could find, since the gazelle happened to be standing in the very centre. It's wound was a severe one and left a rather long blood trail on the white snow. As soon as I saw it, I winced as guilt began to overwhelm me. I felt so bad for the poor thing...

Suddenly, a different, but familiar voice rang out in my ear:

_"Megan, please don't. He's taking you over, he's forcing you to kill the poor thing!"_

Elise... W-W-Why was I hearing her voice?! Isn't she-!

Maybe, I'm going insane, like I was imaging everything that had happened so far. As confused as I was, I responded to her in a fond manner. "I'm sorry, I'm trying not to, believe me..."

_But still, who was she talking about?_

Shaking the thoughts off, I put my focus back onto what I was currently doing, whilst telling myself to listen to my deceased friend. I instantly slung my hunting rifle over my shoulder and knelt down, frantically digging through my backpack to see if there were any first-aid kits I could use to heal the gazelle's injures. Thankfully, the redness had vanished which meant that I wasn't being possessed anymore. After managing to find a med kit, I cautiously stepped out of my hiding place and walked slowly towards the gazelle. I didn't want to frighten it, but at the same time, I probably did due to what the mysterious possession force did to me.

_There's gotta be something I can do to help the poor thing... I absoutley regret shooting it..._

Unfortunatley however, the gazelle sprinted off again. I ran after it, fully aware that my feet were furiously yelling at me to stop by severely aching in pain. After sprinting up two other steep hills, I stopped at a cliff which gave a magnificent view of the sapphire blue ocean. Large blocks of ice crowded a small area on the right, along with an enormous green statue of liberty. Noticing that, I immediately recognised the location that I was in.

"Switchback Cove... I remember this place..." I murmured, gazing down at the happy animals that were running around and enjoying their daily lives.

_Hey, maybe I should go down there..._

Although unfortunately, the growling that I had earlier, began echoing again. Quickly turning round in all directions, I aimed my rifle at wherever this mysterious feline may be, panting in an anxious manner.

Just as I was about to shrug it off and make my way down, I heard a massive roar and found myself being tackled to the ground.

Screaming and thrashing, I struggled to escape, but the feline's grip was too tight. "Argh...! _Get off me_!"

A set of other voices, probably about nine or ten, began yelling and several animal footsteps began thudding as they increased in volume. The feline's growling also grew louder as I fought so hard to escape. "Urgh...! Let_ go! ... STOP!_"

Eventually, the footsteps and growls stopped, which gave me the chance to see who my attacker was. I found myself staring into the familiar green-hazel eyes of a certain smilodon that I knew very well.

_What the...?! They're real too...?!_


	9. Chapter 9: The Sub Zero Heroes

**Chapter 9: The Sub Zero Heroes**

"Diego!"

"Buddy, I've got this hunter, so don't worry!'

"Hey softie, chill! She's only a kid!"

The male smilodon (who I recognised as Diego) eventually got off me and went over to join the large group of animals who were now staring at me in absolute wonder. They were three mammoths; a father, mother and a daughter who looked about my age. Along with them were a male sloth, an elderly female sloth, two possums, a molehog and a female white smilodon. I was speechless; both of my favourite series were real. Maybe, my dreams were becoming a reality after all.

_And for that, I didn't know what to say._

"Who are you?" The male mammoth said, standing in front of his family to protect them from me.

_When I wasn't going to even think about harming them!_

"I...I...I'm not a hunter." I stammered, wanting so badly to get onto their good side. "I just woke up back in the woods, and I somehow managed to get here by crawling through a hole in my apartment!"

Obviously, they weren't going to believe me. The male mammoth stepped forward in a threatening manner, clearly indicating that he thought what I just said was nonsense. "You crawled through a what?!"

His wife stepped forward as well, placing a gentle trunk on his shoulder. "Manny, maybe you should let the child speak..."

"But Ellie, she's dangerous, we don't know who she is!" Manny protested.

Growing slightly irritated, I decided to speak up myself. "I'm a human!"

That shut them up, even though their staring was making me uncomfortable. Just as I was about to turn round and leave, Ellie reached out and gingerly wrapped her trunk around my wrist. "Hey, what's your name?"

Struggling to think of the right words, I was all of a sudden startled by hearing Elise's voice again:

_"Don't be scared Megan, just tell them who you are..."_

I was becoming even more nervous, but at least I was able to reply. "Megan."

Hearing this, Ellie gave me a friendly smile. "That's a lovely name. I'm Ellie, and this is my family. I'm really sorry about what happened before, we...just got a little panicked, that's all."

She then unwrapped her trunk and gestured to everyone else in the group. Some of the animals, including Diego and his wife Shira were also smiling at me. Seems weird, since they tried to attack me moments earlier but hey, you work with what you have. However, Manny still seemed skeptical.

"Um, hi..." I said quietly to everyone else, feeling confused and and anxious. Like I stated before, I was an absolute sucker when it came to meeting new people, meaning that I was not confident enough to open up and just...be myself. If only there was a friend out there, who I could do those things with; release my emotions and be the cheerful, fun-loving person I knew I was deep down...

"Hey.." The daughter replied, walking up to me with the molehog sitting on one of her tusks. "Sorry about before..."

"T-That's fine..." I said, nodding as I tried my best to remain tough even though my emotions deep down were screaming at me to be let out.

Hearing this, the daughter smiled brightly. "I'm Peaches, and this is my lovely friend Louis."

The molehog then gave me a small smile and said: "Hello...". Apparently, he was just as shy as I was. In that case, looks like I managed to get on some of the Herd's good side. Yes!

"Hi..." I said to Louis, returning the gesture. "I-It's nice to...meet you all..."

As soon as those words left my mouth, Peaches then suddenly came up with an idea, one that I didn't know would change my quest for the better. "Hey, Louis and I were going to go and hang out with Ethan and the girls. You wanna come?"

"Uh, s-sure..." I managed to reply. Just like Amy did back in Sonic's apartment, I was trying so hard to stop myself from squealing.

"Come on then!" My new friend gestured for me to follow her, enthusiastically. Just as I was about to, some of the adults walked up and apologised for the attack earlier. Granny seemed impatient as she wanted to find her pet Precious, but she also looked interested to get to know me. "Welcome to the house kid."

I couldn't help but let an amused smirk appear on my mouth. "Thanks..."

Once I passed Manny, I looked at him with a hopeful spark in my eye, but all I got was a nod and a frown. Clearly, he wasn't fond of me. Having seen all four Ice Age movies and the Christmas short, I knew that Manny was only like this when he first meets someone. The good news was that after you spend more and more time with him, Manny changes from a cold and moody mammoth to a kind and loving one.

_To get him to that stage would take a VERY long time... _

Despite the fact that I felt nervous, I was ready. Deep down however, I hoped that none of the animals would end up murdered like Elise unfortunately did. God, I wish I managed to save her in time. I thought that if she was still here with us, she'd probably take charge of the situation and help me get on the Herd's good side.

She would've journeyed with us until the end. Maybe at some point, Sonic could have joined us therefore both him and Elise would have been together again. Just thinking about made me want to unleash my anger out on her murderer and release my guilt, desperately hoping for a chance of earning forgiveness. Hell, Silver's song 'Dreams of an Absolution' came into my head as the memories of Elise's death and my failure to save her flashed repeatedly.

"Hey!"

I was snapped back to reality when I heard Peaches shout out for me. "You coming?!"

Quickly pulling myself together, I placed the tough mask back on, picked up my rifle and began to follow my new friends. "Yeah, sorry. I just got caught up back there."

"Don't worry kid, it happens." Diego reassured me. "By the way, sorry for attacking you."

I just gave him a small smile. "It's fine, no need to keep apologising."

After that, we all just walked down the path leading to Switchback Cove. Some of the Herd were chatting away whilst I remained my usual state of silence, thinking about how my first proper friend was doing in the heavens, living on as a gentle spirit.

_I miss you..._


	10. Chapter 10: Brutal Attack

_Werewolf99: Thanks, I'm really glad that you're enjoying this so far! I know this may sound early, but what's your opinion on my OC, Megan? I think she's alright, but still... Alright then, I'll see what I can do..._

* * *

**Chapter 10: Brutal Attack**

_(Meanwhile in South Ashfield...)_

**M-S**

The last couple of days have been a blur. I didn't tell anyone about what happened when I first moved in that apartment, since they wouldn't believe me. Strange events began occurring, starting with this hole appearing in my storeroom.

_Weird, I know._

So I go in, and I find myself in Soleanna. I haven't been there since the Flames of Disater came into play, even so, it was pretty nice to be back. No major changes, no new buildings, it was exactly the same kingdom I visited all those years ago. And the citizens were in a happy mood since the Festival of the Sun was taking place as I made my entrance. Truth be told, I was looking forward to seeing Elise again, because firstly Amy wasn't there to keep me away from _all_ of the girls in my surroundings and secondly, it felt great to be in a place where I know someone who would assist me if I was ever in trouble.

And now here I am, back in South Ashfield, with Amy on what she thinks is a 'date'. She never outright told me what she thought, but I knew from the way my friend was looking at me; excited and happy.

_Well, who can blame her?_

"So, how are you feeling Sonic?" Amy asked, cheerfully.

"I'm alright, just hoping that today's going to turn out better." I replied, giving her a friendly grin as I did so.

Hearing this, my pink friend's green eyes brightened up. "Oh, I'm sure it will be just fine!"

I couldn't help, but smile at this. "Thanks Amy,"

We continued walking down the street, turning round a left corner and found ourselves entering a large park area with a small fountain in the very centre. A large group of kids (looking about sixteen or seventeen years old) were lounging around on the massive bench placed near the fountain. To be honest, I felt a little nervous going near them. Just recently, I've been getting hurtful e-mails and messages from teenagers who threw insults at me and begged me to change back into the 'Sonic' they knew.

One even went as far to send a really, really hurtful message: "Where's my beloved cute little buddy gone. I don't want him to change, ever."

_Well kid, people change. It's all a part of life; we grow up, we change._

Taking a deep breath, I followed Amy as we made our entrance. She became aware of my concerns and stayed close to me, making sure that I was alright. Normally I wouldn't be nervous, but this time, this situation was a little different. "Okay..."

As we made our way towards another bench a few metres in the distance, I was startled by a number of male voices shouting in triumph.

"_There he is!_"

"_Get him!_"

"Amy's here too; let's get her as well!"

Four seventeen to eighteen year old boys began to approach us in a threatening manner, some cracking their knuckles and others sneering with menacing glares.

_Oh no..._

I jumped in front of my pink friend, stretching both my arms out in order to protect her. Amy also got her Piko-Piko hammer out and prepared herself for what was about to come. "Sonic!"

"It's okay Amy, we're gonna get out of this..." I reassured her, getting myself ready for the fight that I knew was going to happen. "What do you want, lads?"

The leader; a furious and frightening eighteen year old stepped forward, glaring at me full of hatred. "We want you and your series to go down; not to be mentioned again."

_Great, just great._

Despite the growing anger I felt boiling in my veins, I managed to remain calm. "Lads, I understand your opinion but the thing is, sometimes we just gotta get used to new things that come into our lives. It can be a good thing."

_And they're going to beat me up in 3, 2, 1..._

"Forget you!" The leader screamed right in my face. "Go back to Green Hill and _stay there!_"

Just before I was about to leave with Amy, I felt a hand grab me roughly by the shoulder and turn me round, with such powerful force. A hard fist connected with my black nose, erupting a loud crack and sending severe pain throbbing intensely. I screamed and placed both my gloved hands against it, trying to prevent the incoming scarlet blood from pouring out.

Amy apparently saw this, as she let out her battle cry and lunged towards the leader, swinging her hammer and delivering a brutal blow. The kid yelled in pain and collapsed to the ground, groaning. "Don't you dare hurt my Sonic again!"

That sent all of them running; even the leader who was supposed to be tough and menacing. As a matter of fact, he still was. After they disappeared from our view, Amy offered me a hand up and I gladly accepted it. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine Amy, don't worry..." I replied. Even though, I actually wasn't. "Are you?"

_Well, the kids certainly didn't make my day._

"I'm alright, I'm just worried about you Sonic." My pink friend said, her voice slightly cracked with emotion as soon as she finished her sentence. That made my heart ache. I gingerly wrapped my arm around her shoulder in an attempt to calm her down, feeling bad myself. "Hey, I'm still going to be around, even if something happens. That way, you'll know if I happen to be nearby."

She smiled at this, and eventually managed to compose herself. "Okay..."

We both then began walking out of the park, on our way back to the apartments. I would occasionally strike up a conversation and Amy would reply positively, but she still was worried. It wasn't long until a thought that will forever be on my mind struck me. "So you think there's a kid out there that likes me for who I am?"

"I don't know, maybe. Why?" Amy asked.

"Hm, I was just wondering if someone out there doesn't hate me, and doesn't want me to change back to who I used to be." I said, taking my thoughts in.

My pink friend then brightened up again, just the Amy I always liked to see. "I'm sure there's a kid out there who likes you."

I couldn't help but let a genuine smile appear. "Yeah... That would be pretty cool..."

_Hopefully, he or she's out there somewhere... I gotta find them..._

* * *

_(Back in Switchback Cove...)_

**S-M**

I have only just spent a few hours in Switchback Cove and so far, everyone seems really nice and friendly. Sure, they were frightened at first, but I told the animals that I meant no harm. I spent a couple of minutes with Peaches, Louis, Ethan and the girls, and we seem to get along really well. They asked me some questions about my interests, I told them, but I decided to leave Sonic out. Due to a...personal reason.

_Heh, this place isn't so bad..._

"Hey guys, I think Buck and Flynn might be back soon." Sid said, in his usual happy and smiley mood. I was honestly suprised when I heard their names because ... the Herd haven't seen them since the third and fourth Ice Age movies. Maybe Flynn decided to back out off Gutt's pirate gang like Shira did, and apologised to the Herd for siding with the pirates? Who knows?

_Anyways..._

Hearing Sid's words, Crash and Eddie both cheered in excitement and high-fived each other. "YES!"

I understood why they were so pleased; Buck was like...a well respected and almost brotherly idol to them. Similar to how I felt about Sonic, despite the fact I haven't met him yet. Every so often, I would dream about what scenarios would take place if I managed to bump into him personally; I knew first and foremost that I would be shy and quiet, but as I would begin to spend more time with my idol, I would slowly start to open up. Like I said before, I really wanted to find someone who I could release my emotions and form an attachment with.

_Maybe...there is someone who could be out there... Who knows?_

"For once, I agree with you guys. He's a cool weasel." Diego said, grinning with amusement.

"I'm with you on that." I chimed in, earning two thumbs-ups from the possums and a smirk from the male smilodon.

Just then, Granny, Peaches and Louis came into the clearing. The elderly female sloth instantly marched up to Sid and began shouting in his face for him to feed her a ripe-red apple. "Sid! Can you chew this thing for me?!"

"You have your shark teeth, Granny! Where did you last see them?!" The sloth replied, with annoyance lacing his tone.

There was a moment of silence before the answer came. And believe me when I say, I almost cracked up laughing. "I can't remember when I last saw them so you have to find them before Precious eats them!"

"Argh...! Granny, please don't put that image in my head!" Peaches groaned, glancing at me and rolling her eyes slightly. I shook my head and grinned, almost feeling sorry for them. Even though Granny seemed a little annoying at times, we knew that she was a kind and caring sloth who was willing to help others.

_And that was good enough for me. _

I was getting along with the animals REALLY well. My day honestly couldn't get any better. Just as we were about to enjoy the day further, a loud and terrified scream echoed all across the hills, sending cold chills down my spine.

We all got up and started to investigate, but a group of monsters, about ten of them suddenly entered the area at a slow pace. They looked _so _similar to the ones I encountered back in Crisis City! How the hell did they end up _here?! _Static began erupting from a radio that mysteriously appeared at my feet, somehow indicating the monsters' presence. I quickly picked it up, stored it into my backpack and grabbed my hunting rifle. "Guys, you all better run! It's not safe!"

Peaches, Louis, Sid, Granny and the teenagers sprinted, but Diego remained. "Kid, you can't take them on your own, I'm going to help you!"

I hesitated for a moment, as the smilodon was right. It was true that if I took the monsters on myself, it would be a losing battle. But at the same time, I didn't want Diego or anyone else in the Herd to end up suffering the same fate as ... ugh, it hurts to say her name, but ... it was the truth. "I-I-okay..." I stammered worriedly, nodding to show that I appericated Diego's assistance whilst keeping a tight grip on my rifle. "Yeah... A-A-Alright..."

"Hey. We're gonna be fine, trust me," The smilodon repiled in a reassuring tone, having noticed how nervous I was. He then stood beside me, and the fight was on. Our opponents were a mixture; mannequins, lying figures, closers and sniffer dogs. They all looked terribly disfigured, but we weren't going to let that stop us. Two of the sniffer dogs circled Diego, growling evily which prompted the latter to snarl back as he stood in front of me protectively. Suddenly, they all roared and tackled each other, battling it out. A lying figure then took a few steps fowards and began spraying a sample of harmful acid towards me. I yelped and dodged the acid, firing one bullet into the monster which killed it instantly.

_You got this, Megan. You got this!_

I then gunned down another sniffer dog who leapt at me, roaring with thunderous rage. A mannequin saw this as it sprinted towards me and connected its' fist with my jaw, sending a small amount of pain throbbing in my skull. I groaned as I smacked my attacker with my rifle, sending it tumbling to the ground with me finishing it off with a stomp to the head. Two closers then made the next move, only just managing to hit me in my torso and sending me falling down, yelping in pain. Just as they were about to finish me off, I shot them twice one by one, killing them instantly.

"That's right, you go girl!" Both Peaches and Sid cheered, pumping their trunk/fist in the air.

I quickly sent a small smile in my new friends' directions and sprinted towards the right to get a better aim. "Okay..."

Firing at three lying figures, I killed them and there was a small number of monsters left, plus the static on the radio was gradually starting to fade.

_Bingo!_

Four sniffer dogs began advancing towards me, growling in a threatening manner. Even though I felt scared, I just aimed my rifle and fired, just before one of them lunged towards me and scratched my face with it's sharp claws. I screamed in pain, which prompted Diego to finish off his two opponents and tackle the other one to the ground, digging his fangs into its' throat and shaking it in a furious way until it fell lifeless. He then dropped the corpse to the snowy ground and gave me a look of concern, having seen what happened seconds ago. "Are you okay, Megan?!"

I nodded quickly, desperatley attempting to recover from the shock. "Y-Yeah... Yeah, sort of!"

All that was left was a closer, sniffer dog and mannequin. Working together, both Diego and I managed to take them out and soon, the static faded completely. Absolute silence and bliss. Gasping for breath, I allowed my fingers to brush the face injury I recieved and once I pulled my hand away, it was covered in blood.

_Man, I guess my body loves getting injuries, doesn't it?! Well, I don't!_

Frantically kneeling down, I took off my backpack and searched inside for a first-aid kit. Thankfully, I managed to find one and I instantly got to work on healing my face wound, making sure that it wouldn't get infected. Just then, Manny, Ellie and Shira ran into the clearing, followed by a familiar weasel and elephant seal. "Is everyone alright?!"

"Yup!" Peaches said, coming out the hiding place with Sid, Granny, Louis and the teenagers in tow. As they told everyone else about the attack, Shira couldn't help but notice the state I was in. Walking over, she gave me a small nudge with her head to get my attention. "Hey, what happened to your face?!" The female smilodon asked, worriedly. "Are you alright?!"

"One of the damn sniffer dogs that attacked us got me," I responded, still working on healing my injury. "O-Other than that, I'm fine, thanks. It's ... It's not too big, don't worry..."

After placing the first-aid kit back in my backpack, I managed to pull myself together and turn round to face my new friends. A sudden realisation hit me. If I told them about my quest, then maybe they'd be in to help.

"Hey guys," I began. "I, um, ... T-There's...something I need to tell you."

_Alright, let's how this goes..._


	11. Chapter 11: Seductive Butterfly

_Werewolf99: Cool, thanks for sending the info in. Oh boy... Um, my OC's deepest fears would probably have to be... Losing everyone she loves (Her family, Sonic, the Herd) and being by herself in both the real world and the nightmare worlds._

* * *

**Chapter 11: Seductive Butterfly**

Well it's safe to say that after the attack, we were all fine. I decided to stay a little longer to get to know Buck and Flynn. I also told the animals about my quest and just like I suspected, they were in to help. But unfortunately, I had to go back into the hole. The Herd were completely okay with this, and I thought to myself: 'Heh, maybe I might see them again.'

_Anything can happen..._

"Okay..." I said after I woke up in my apartment and pulled myself to my feet. I decided to give myself a little routine; as soon as I wake up, check on Sonic, gather some weapons and that's it. Bam! Done. Kneeling down in front of the small hole in the wall, I peeked in.

Unfortunately, Sonic wasn't in his room; presumably he was still out with Amy. But instead, a twenty-eight year old Knuckles and a twenty-four year old Shadow were in the room. The red echidna was pacing around the room, whilst the black-red hedgehog had his arms folded and red-brown eyes shut, prehaps thinking about a past adventure or his friend Maria.

_Let me get this straight; all of the Sonic characters are real. So, if they somehow end up in the nightmare world with me and my new friends, then the quest is going to be pretty hectic, I tell ya._

"So you think Sonic's alright?" Knuckles asked, with concern lacing his tone. Usually him and my idol bickered and argued a lot, but at least they were on good terms.

Hearing this, Shadow opened his eyes and gave the echidna a strange look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you know, I just discovered this hole in the storeroom which happens to be blocked. Do you think before it got blocked up, Sonic could have gone in?" Knuckles seemed confused, as he was trying to figure out what the hole's purpose was.

Much to my growing annoyance. They really need to talk to Sonic about it when he comes back from the date with Amy.

_I'll tell you this, the hole's purpose is to lead you to a series of nightmare worlds presumably controlled by a maniac who is lurking in the shadows, AND TRAP YOU IN THEM!_

Realising what I just did, I smacked my head and cursed myself for mentally screaming my thoughts at Sonic's friend. I didn't actually mean to do it, it's just that...whenever I get extremely annoyed, it would sometimes lead to an outburst. During my teenage years, I've learnt to control them as I didn't want to hurt my family and leave them damaged. But during my childhood, I was unable to control and prevent the outbursts from occurring.

"I think we need to have a chat with Faker when he gets back." Shadow said, dreading that he would soon have to put up with Sonic and the constant name calling.

Knuckles nodded, got up and gestured for him to follow him. "Yeah, you're right."

_Yes!_

And with that, they both left the room. I pulled myself up to my feet and went over to grab my firearms. After quickly reloading my hunting rifle and pistol, I stored them into my backpack and threw open my bedroom door.

Once again, without hesitation, I crawled into the hole.

* * *

"Kid...Kid...KID!"

My eyes snapped open as I was startled awake. I couldn't find any words to describe the place I was in now, but the only thing I could describe, was the temperature.

_It's so damn cold..._

"Kid, get up."

I did as the male said, recognising his voice instantly. Towering over me, was a large mammoth coated in dark brown fur, a steel glare creasing his cheeks. Manny.

My eyes widened slightly. "What are you doing here...? I thought you were still in Switchback Cove..."

The mammoth just gestured behind him, and the rest of the Herd were here too; Ellie, Peaches, Diego, Shira. Even Buck and Flynn were here.

_WHAT...?!_

"We can go to different worlds too." Manny said, still glaring at me. "Come on."

Muttering under my breath, I followed the mammoth and went to join the massive group formed in the centre. Feeling more annoyed, I decided to take in our surroundings and figure out where we were. Buildings of all sizes were dotted here and there, the radio was faintly blurring into life with static and all we could see, was thick grey fog.

"Just where are we?" Buck asked, with confusion overwhelming him. Flynn was just as confused as he was. "Doesn't seem very welcoming, this place." He put in.

_Oh, how I agree..._

"Alright guys, we need to stick together and find out where we are. Let's go and take a look around." Ellie said. Truth be told, it was a good thing that she was one of the leaders because, since Manny hated me, I could always go to Ellie if I needed something.

But right now, we had more important things to be thinking about.

I followed the Herd as they took off, reaching for my pistol, just in case if any monsters decided to jump out and attack us. The town had a REALLY wide space, so it would have been easier if we just avoided any incoming attacks. We sprinted down the roads, just narrowly running past the monsters as the radio blurred with full static, alerting us to where our enemies were.

Turning a right corner, I managed to overtake everyone else as we ran, clutching my weapons tightly. A little behind us, I heard Buck's cowboy yell as he rammed his knife into a nearby lying figure, killing it with one strike.

Eventually, the radio's static began to die down and we all stopped to catch our breath. As I looked up, I noticed someone walking towards us in the fog and slowly began to realise that this wasn't a monster; she was just a regular human being.

"Who is that?" Peaches pondered, moving cautiously to stand next to Ellie. "Mom?"

"It's okay, I'm sure she wants to help us." The older female mammoth reassured her. "Megan, are you gonna talk to her?"

"Yep. I'll be right back." I said to everyone, before going to investigate. As the stranger got closer, she broke into a full sprint. Not sure about the whole thing, I cautiously aimed my pistol, placing my finger on the trigger. Soon, we both reached each other and she threw herself onto me, keeping her arms latched firmly around my neck. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Lady, calm down, take a breather..."

She eventually let go, giving me the chance to get a good look at her. Her ice blue eyes were filled with negativity which told me that she went through a hard time. Her outfit was bright and revealing; a red long-sleeved top unbuttoned half-way, a darkish pink choker and skirt with a back leopard print sprayed everywhere. To add to the finishing touch, her blond hair looked fine but had several pink locks at the bottom. Clearly, she looked as though she wanted to find someone. And I was about to see whether this woman was trustworthy or not.

"You're not James." She said, studying me with curiosity.

I lowered my pistol and stared at her. "Who are you?"

"Who are your little friends?" She asked back, pointing at my idols who stood a bit far behind, filled with fear and suspicion. "By the way, my name...is Maria."

_Well, at least you answered my question._

"My friends are a group of animals from the ice age." I answered, honestly. "You said you were looking for someone?"

The woman sighed. "Yes, yes, I did. His name's James and I met him a few years back, in this very town. He was...looking for his dead wife, Mary, as she sent him a letter, beckoning him here. I offered to help, despite him always telling me that I look a lot like her."

_Three words: What. The. F*ck._

"Did this dude let you?" I asked, slowly growing uncomfortable. Now I'll tell you something; Maria seemed very strange and mysterious. The Herd looked as though they didn't particularly want her to join our group, but I wouldn't let that stop me from what I was about to say. "I mean...we can help you, if you'd like."

Hearing this, the anger in her blue eyes faded and my new friend smirked with a mixture of happiness and mischief. "Thanks. He didn't want to at first, but I managed to coax him into it."

Manny clearly had enough and stormed over to the pair of us; filled with rage and fury. My only guess was that he thought the number of members in the herd was enough. "Hey lady, look for your friend on your own. We don't need any more members, eleven is enough."

_Argh, stop making everyone feel down!_

"C'mon man, can't you see that Maria needs help?!" I demanded.

"Yes, I can. But I don't want her with us in case she harms my family." The mammoth then advanced on her. "Leave, _now._"

I initially thought my new friend was going to be nervous, and she was a little. But the good thing was that she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. "Look, this young lady just offered to help me with my search, and I really appreciate it. But if she is, then you're gonna have to play nice aswell."

I had never seen Manny this angry before, so to see him like this personally, it really frightened me. But like I stated before, he only behaved this way because of new people. Even humans. I looked at him and decided to calm things down. "Please...She really needs help."

There was a moment of silence. The rest of the Herd were now agreeing with me, as they too wanted to aid my new friend. I actually thought Manny was going to reconsider and let her join us.

_But then, the response came._

"No. That human is not coming with us. Kid, you're the only human we need."

He wrapped his trunk around my wrist and pulled me back to the rest of my idols, with me struggling and squirming to break free. "Come on guys, let's get out of here."

Quickly managing to sneak a glance back at Maria, I (along with Ellie, Peaches and everyone else) gave her an apologetic look and murmured three words, low enough that the mammoth wouldn't hear. "We're sorry..."

_And we all genuinely meant that..._


	12. Chapter 12: Bonding

**Chapter 12: Bonding**

The next couple of minutes were what I could only describe as difficult; more monsters to fight for starters. But what made it more harder was that we all were in complete and utter silence; following our meeting with Maria.

_I understood why Manny acted the way he did; he just wants to protect his family. But still, it doesn't hurt to let new people into your life if they're friendly and trustworthy..._

"Hey kid," Shira said, catching up to me followed by Diego. "Are you okay?"

Clutching my weapons more tightly, I gave them a brave smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little frustrated, that's all."

Diego frowned. "Because of what happened earlier?"

"Um, yes, but...it's also about something else." I replied, carefully choosing my words.

Hearing this, Manny whirled his head round and glared at me. "What?"

I immediately threw my hands up in defense. "_Nothing, _nothing!"

_At some point, things are gonna get rough. Really rough._

"Good." The mammoth simply replied, before turning round and continuing on. I felt more frustrated than ever, that I just wanted to throw my fist into the nearest wall I could find. I mean... Why couldn't things be bright and positive between me and the Herd? They were with Ellie, Peaches, Shira, Diego and the others, but Manny? _No._

I breathed a heavy sigh, thinking of someone I held close to my heart. "I wish you were here with us..." I whispered to myself. Just then, a soft breeze filled with warmth swept through the locks of my brown ponytail. This sent a tingling and positive sensation flooding through my chest, making my lips turn up into a small smile.

_Who knows, maybe she is..._

**M-E**

"_Don't worry Megan, I'm right here..._" I whispered soothingly, smiling as I gazed fondly at the innocent child who walked calmly and bravely with the large group of prehistoric animals.

Truth be told, I didn't understand why the mammoth was being so mean to her. He probably thought of my friend as an enemy, a threat that he needed to take care of. But why can't he see that she's a kind young girl who will do anything to help others in need?

_Because he needs to take time to get to know her..._

Ever since I left this world, I found peace in the heavens; a glorious place where spirits can live in harmony. The blossoms on the trees are a pure white and the meadows are draped in different shades of spring. Some people describe it as the 'Beyond' but to me, it was a gentle and wonderful home we find shelter in after we perish.

But I had to make sure that Megan was safe; so I came back down into the world as a spirit and kept watch, hovering over her and the animals as if I was an an entity.

The group continued walking down the cold and foggy streets, still in silence. I could hear sounds of deep breaths coming from my young friend, so I quickly floated over to where she was.

"_Hey, hey, are you alright?!_"

No answer, obviously she couldn't hear me. I thought...maybe she was trying to calm herself down and prevent any negative emotions burst out of control.

If only I hadn't run off and left her behind, which forced me to meet my death...

"_I'm so sorry... I shouldn't have done what I did..._"

But at least, I could keep watch from the heavens.

**E-M **

"Take it easy, take it easy..." I kept repeating to myself quietly, not realising that I had alerted most of the herd, even Manny. I suddenly felt their eyes locked onto me, which forced me to grip my pistol so tightly that my knuckles were turning into a bright white. Thankfully, I managed to calm myself down and focus on what was happening.

_But still, I hate being the centre of attention..._

"Hey guys, there's a building over there. I don't know what it is, but how about we head inside and find anything useful?" I suggested, pointing towards the steps leading up into a...

Hospital?

_F*ck! ... Oh f*ck, I take that back! Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea!_

"Yeah, I'm saying we should all head in there too. Good job kid." Manny commented, giving me a nod of appreciation before heading off, followed by Sid, Diego, Buck and Flynn.

My reaction was priceless. I just stood there with my jaw dropped to the ground, knowing full well that my face had the message of "What the hell just happened?!" pictured on it. Crash and Eddie were snickering, trying not to give in to their eventual laughter whilst Ellie, Peaches, Shira and Diego were looking at me with amusement. After a four second silence, the possums burst out laughing.

"What?!" I demanded, snapping back to reality.

"You should see the look of your face!" Crash managed to shout, whilst laughing his head off.

"Your reaction looked so stupid!" Eddie added, trying to stifle his laughter.

_Oh really..._

I began walking to catch up with the others, but as soon as I passed the possums, I gave them a mildly amused look. "Yeah, thanks guys." I scoffed.

Truth be told, I expected to get a different reaction, but the one I got was a lot better. "Oooooh, it is on sister!"

Grinning mischievously, I gave them a two-fingered salute. Sid had apparently saw what just happened and came up to me. "That was a cool thing you did back there."

Hearing this, I smirked evilly. "I have my ways."

The sloth chuckled and Granny gave him a look of annoyance. "Hey Sidney, wait up!"

"I am waiting!" Sid protested, sighing and shaking his head.

**M-M**

"Hey Manny, mind if I could talk to you for a second?" Ellie asked, walking next to me.

I gave her a loving smile. "Not at all."

My wife took a deep breath. "Okay well, I know we only just met her, but I have this feeling that we all should look out for Megan."

_We only need Peaches, not the human..._

"Why?" I asked, giving the hint that I didn't want anything to do with her. "I still believe that she's a threat to us."

Ellie sighed. "I get what you mean, but she's only a child and her mother's missing. Until she finds her, we should look after her."

As much as I disliked the kid, I had to accept that my wife was right. "I just want to protect you and my family."

_I really do..._

"Manny," Ellie murmured, placing a gentle trunk on my shoulder, nuzzling me. "I know you do, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to let new people into our lives; so we should let Megan join us."

I nuzzled her back, thinking about my loving wife's words. I couldn't help but look back at the kid. She was laughing at one of Crash's jokes with Peaches and Louis as they walked through the massive fog, surrounding us. A small smile tugged at my lips as I watched them. "Maybe, you're right..."

_I mean, the kid probably wasn't so bad after all... Right?_

**M-M**

"Okay, okay, I really need to calm down." Louis said, grinning whilst looking at Peaches with those cute blue eyes of his.

Shira gave a cheerful laugh. "Yeah, I agree with you Louis."

_At least the atmosphere is now positive..._

"Can I tell you guys one more joke?" Crash pleaded. I could tell from the look on his face that he had tons of them up his fur. As much as I wanted to say "Yes", I knew we had to continue.

"Sorry Crash, maybe a little later?" I suggested, giving him a friendly smile.

After a one minute silence, the possum shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

_It's a deal._

Soon, we managed to catch with Manny and the others, standing outside the entrance to the hospital. I couldn't help but look at the sign which told us the establishment's name:

**Brookhaven Hospital**

Manny then turned to face all of us, after a moment of thought. "You guys ready for this?"

We all nodded, some of us feeling slightly frightened and scared. I certainly was, for I was not a huge fan of hospitals. Whenever I had to go in for an emergency (whichever it may be), I absolutely dreaded it. But if it was family member who needed help, I would go in anyways. "Y'know what, let's just...get this over with..." I said.

"Alright then."

One by one, we entered. Some of us relieved that we no longer had to face the cold, but others not so much.

As I took my first step into the hospital, I took a deep breath, knowing that at some point, trouble was going to occur. "Okay..."

_Let's do this..._


	13. Chapter 13: Nightmare World

**Chapter 13: Nightmare World**

"Whoa, this place is terrifying!" Eddie murmured, hiding behind his brother and shaking fearfully.

The lobby of Brookhaven Hospital was dark, and believe me when I say, it was really dark. It was like you couldn't see a thing. But it was just like any other hospital. Beds and gurneys sitting in the hallways, multiple doors leading here and there. The only differences were that some of them were locked and others were shut so tight that no one could open them at all.

_I need a flashlight..._

"This is a bad idea." I groaned. "Hospitals are never a good thing."

Manny turned to give me a strange look. "Then why did you come up with it, then?"

"Because I thought this was a different building, and that we had to take shelter from the fog." I answered truthfully.

_Plus to hide away from the monsters..._

Just as Manny was about to reply, Buck spoke up, interrupting our conversation. "Well since we're new here, we might as well check out reception."

_Thanks a lot, Buck._

Despite our growing suspicions, we all agreed and only a small group of us went in; Me, Sid, Granny, Crash, Eddie and Buck himself. The reception did not have a big space, the walls were a greyish-white and to our right, was a green shelf with tons of books placed neatly upon it. However to the left, a small brownish desk stood waiting for us, crowded with a series of hospital notes and procedures, just longing to be picked up and read. The only thing that caught my eye was a bright red symbol shining on the wall, making it's presence known. I also noticed a flashlight sitting on the table, to my great relief.

"Yes!" I grinned as I picked it up and tied it around my backpack strap, switching it on as I did so. "Now things should be a lot better."

Sid was scanning through a doctors' journal with confusion and interest, staring at the writing. "Hmm... Hey, you should take a look at this."

He handed me the journal and I quickly flicked through the pages, stopping as soon as I reached the tenth page. "What the hell is this...?"

"_The potential for this illness exists in all people and, under the right circumstances, any man or woman would be driven, like him, to the 'other side'._

_The 'other side' perhaps may not be the best way to phrase it. After all, there is no wall between here and there. It lies on the borders where reality and unreality intersect. It is a place both close and distant. _

_Some say it isn't even an illness. I cannot agree with them. I'm a doctor, not a philosopher or even a psychiatrist._

_But sometimes I have to ask myself this question. It's true that to us, his imaginings are nothing but the inventions of a busy mind. But to him, there simply is no other reality._

_Furthermore, he is happy there._

_So why, I ask myself, why in the name of healing him must we drag him painfully into the world of our own reality?_

_I got the key from Joseph. It's probably the key to that box._"

After reading that passage, I slammed the book shut and handed it back to Sid. "A key to that box...? I wonder what he meant by that?"

"I'm wondering the same thing..." Sid replied, nodding as if he understood.

Hearing this, Buck and Granny came over to see what was going on. They too seemed creeped out by the journals and procedures they read. Clearly, like I said before, this was a creepy hospital.

"I don't know why we came into a horrible place like this, I'm outta here!" Granny declared, pointing her walking stick at the rest of us to show that she meant business.

We all agreed and one by one, we exited the reception. For some reason, I couldn't help but feel that something was behind that symbol, like it had a meaning to something. The rumours of Silent Hill being something different than a peaceful resort town suddenly came into my head, which prompted a horrible realisation to hit me.

_What if...those rumours are true? Are we...in Silent Hill...?_

"Hey Megan, you coming?" Louis asked, snapping me back to reality. "We're gonna head up to the second floor."

I quickly shook my head, blinking a couple of times and nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming."

_Please don't let anything disturbing occur..._

After that, we began the journey up to the second floor of Brookhaven Hospital. The plan was to head into any rooms that we could find, see if there was anything useful and fight any of those monsters from before if they decided to show up. Once we managed to get in, the radio immediately blurred to life with static, giving us the impression that we weren't alone.

"Okay guys, you stay back whilst I deal with this. If I get into trouble, do what you can to help, alright?" I said, with concern lacing my tone. They nodded to say that they understood and I clutched my pistol tightly.

Two sets of footsteps increased in volume as I cautiously walked down the hallway, aiming my pistol into the darkness, bracing myself for what was about to come. A distorted feminine cry echoed, indicating that it's owner wanted only thing; to murder everything and everyone that it could see. Keeping my finger carefully placed on the trigger, I took a deep breath and quickly looked back at the Herd. To make things worse, they were absolutely terrified.

"_Megan, look out_!" Peaches screamed.

Hearing this, I turned back round in a flash, only to be knocked to the ground with a steel pipe. Letting out a groan of pain, I struggled to get back up and in the process, managed to get a good look at my assailant. Honestly, the only way I could describe her was grotesque. Her white dress was covered in dirt and dry blood as was her pale skin. The top she wore was unbuttoned half-way, similar to how Maria's clean red top was. But her skirt was really short that seeing her outfit made me uncomfortable and want to scream "Put something non-revealing on!". Even worse, she had no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no hair, nothing. Just a crooked face with no features.

_Heh, kinda reminds me of the Slenderman..._

I instantly fired two bullets at her, making her lose her balance, stumble slightly and yell out in pain. Taking advantage, I fired again. "C'mon, c'mon!"

But still, she wouldn't go down. Growing more and more frustrated, I pulled the trigger again, pumping five or seven bullets into the nurse. This time, she did fall down, giving me the chance to finish her off. Which I did so.

Just as I was about to reload my pistol, the second nurse delivered a brutal blow with her weapon, sending me flying until I hit the ground.

_Ah, f*ck!_

The nurse let out her distorted cry and lunged towards me, intending to finish me off. I braced myself for the blow, but it never came. Thanks to Manny.

"Oh no, you don't!"

He instantly whacked my second assailant brutally with his trunk, making her hit the nearest wall hard. Just as he did this, I managed to reload my pistol and aimed it at her, firing one bullet to end her life. The static then faded away from the radio, resulting in blissful silence. Breathing heavily I rubbed my head in pain, groaning as I did so.

Diego quickly ran over and held out a paw to me, indicating that he wanted to help me up. "You okay kid?"

"Yeah, I guess so..." I answered, as I accepted it.

_Let's hope our trip through here gets better..._

Just as I was about to thank Manny for what he did, a loud siren echoed all around us. I felt a powerful sensation of pain start to throb in my head, making horrifying visions flash in front of my eyes. I saw the creepy man in the blue coat grin evilly. He held a bloodied knife and looked at me as if I was his next target. My vision then began to slowly glow a bright red, sending more pain throbbing through my head.

Unable to fight it any longer, I let out a blood-curling scream and collapsed to my knees, cupping my hands against my temple. The Herd didn't know what to do, as they too began to become affected by the shades of horror.

"What do we do?!"

"There's no way that we can stop this!"

"Guys, we have a kid that's in pain right now!"

The last thing that I heard was Ellie, Peaches and Shira scream out my name, before I fell into the darkness, unconscious.

_When am I going to wake up...?_


	14. Chapter 14: Running the Gauntlet

**Chapter 14: Running the Gauntlet**

"_It's being invaded by the Otherworld. By a world of someone's nightmarish delusions come to life._"

To be honest, I didn't know how long I was out, nor where the Herd were. But what I did know, was that something horrible and terrifying was about to happen. Unfortunately, I was still trapped in the darkness, unable to see or feel anything. Although, I could hear a series of distorted familiar voices echoing around me. They didn't just belong to my prehistoric ice age idols.

"_I hope my luck changes before Tails and I have to go to that party_."

"_You're only a young girl and you're out here, on a dangerous quest, by yourself. You should at least have someone looking after you, making sure that you're safe_."

"_She's dangerous, we don't know who she is_!"

"_You can't take them on your own, I'm going to help you_!"

"_You're not James_."

"_Leave, now_."

A bright white light shone in my direction, almost blinding my eyes. Before I had a chance to find out what it's purpose was, I suddenly found myself being dragged towards it a very high speed, and I mean very. Just in a matter of seconds, I was drawn into it and the darkness around me eventually gave in to light. I blinked a large number of times in an effort to wake up. The Herd were in trouble, probably running around the dark and empty hallways and fighting off the nurses without me. I have to find them...

"_Megan..._"

Mum?!

"_Megan..._"

I swore that sounded a lot like her. I pulled myself up to my feet and began sprinting into what seemed to be...an endless abyss of white. "Hang on Mum, I'm coming!"

"_Megan..._"

Now she spoke in a really quiet manner, almost like a whisper. Millions of questions were flooding through my head, forcing another panic attack to take me over.

_Oh no, no, no, no! F*ck!_

Eventually, the light slowly faded away. I snapped my eyes open and gasped for breath, trying to pull myself together. My mother was nowhere to be found and it was almost like...she was fading away as she whispered my name. Instead of that white abyss I only just managed to escape from, I was in a very small room. There was only one door a few feet away, a broken mirror on the walls and a blood-stained cupboard blocking a ladder in front of me.

_What the hell...?_

Once again, I pulled myself up and with some effort, I staggered over to the cupboard, panting in agony as I did so. It seemed weird because I could recall screaming in pain and falling to the ground back on the second floor. My white shirt (my favourite white shirt) was now blood-stained in several different areas: torso, neckline and the arms. Quickly having a peek in the mirror to check the state I was currently in, my heart sank further.

_Who did this...?!_

Horrible bruises were dotted here and there on my temple, chin and neckline. To make things even worse, my hands were covered in a dark scarlet red at the fingers. If a stranger looked at me right now, they would have thought of me as an insane murdering psychopath and run away.

I sighed. "For god's sake..."

Suddenly the door opened and someone very familiar stepped in. Her blue eyes shone with relief as her lips curled up into a smile. Truth be told, I mistakenly thought it was Shira. But when I saw the pink-red top and blond hair, I stepped back, not wanting her to see my current condition. "Maria?"

The woman's smile brightened. "Thank goodness you're alright..."

"What are you doing here...?" I wanted to know. "I thought you were still out there in the town."

Hearing this, Maria shook her head and took a step forward. "No, I decided to come in here, because I wanted to find you.. Where are your friends?"

_You were looking for me?!_

"God knows where my friends are, I have no idea." I answered, wincing in pain as I finished my sentence.

Unfortunately, Maria saw this and took another step forward. I tried to shield myself away (as I didn't want to worry her), and accidentally gave away my condition.

_Uuuuuuugh! Damn you Megan!_

The reaction I got was a horrified gasp and a gentle hand cupping my right cheek. "What happened to you?!"

"I...I...I don't know what happened. I literally woke up, just a few seconds ago!" I sighed again. "I hope my friends are okay..."

Maria understood and thought of an idea. "How about I help you look for them? They're obviously somewhere in this dump, looking for you and if we don't manage to find them, I guess...we'll just have to leave."

Hearing this, my eyes instantly starting blazing with fire. "I'm not leaving without them, regardless of what happens."

My tone must have rang a warning bell to Maria, as she stepped back all of a sudden, taking her cupped hand away with her. "Look, I understand that you want look out for your friends, but we need to look out for ourselves too."

_No__, I always think of other people before myself, and it stays that way!_

As much as I wanted to disagree, I knew that she was right. Besides, Maria was an adult and I was a kid, so it's always the adult who's the leader. I didn't want to full-on lash out at her and start a fight because for starters, I hated arguing with someone. Eventually, I calmed down and looked her in the eye. "Okay, but if anything horrible happens to my friends, I'm staying behind to help them."

Maria smiled at me, and I realised that I was slowly returning the gesture. Maybe, just maybe...if she doesn't get murdered, she could wind up being a good friend too. After all, it was nice to know that there are some kind-hearted people living in the world. "Megan." I said, after a moment of silence.

"What?" The older woman asked, with a hint of suprise lacing her tone.

"My name's Megan." I revealed. "I would have told you it earlier, but ... you know how that went so.. I guess positive things happening later could sometimes be a good thing, right?"

"I gotta agree with you on that, kid."

* * *

_(Several hours later...)_

After our meeting, we both stuck together and began the search through the Otherworld version of Brookhaven Hospital. So far, it wasn't particularly positive. A large number of doors on the second floor were either locked or shut tight, that irritated me a lot. But every time I tried to kick one down out of boiling frustration, Maria would just laugh with amusement and say: "This is what James used to do when he was frustrated."

She never told me anything else about him, and I didn't need to know. All I knew that he was just a crazy guy looking for his dead wife, confusing my new friend with her 24/7. Technically, that's all I wanted to know about him. Nothing else. To my great relief, there weren't any other nurses around. I guessed that Manny and the Herd managed to take them out on their own. I was worried for their safety and well-being, as I wanted neither of them or Maria to suffer the same fate as—

_Shut up kid, it's time for you to move on. Don't think about your past failures..._

"Are you okay?" Maria asked me, with concern lacing her tone.

I just gave her a brave smile, despite wincing in pain due to my wounds that I strangely got whilst I was knocked out. "I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me..."

Before we began our search, I quickly shoved the cupboard out of the ladder's way and climbed up with my friend in tow. Up in the loft, we claimed temporary ownership of a key to a strange door up on the third floor.

You must be thinking _"What happened to the Herd?"_ at the moment, but I'll get that a little later on. The door that I mentioned was strange indeed, I asked Maria if she knew anything about it. She looked like she did, but didn't say anything. I guess, maybe...something happened the last time she was here with James. Who knows?

"Why don't we take the elevator up?" My friend suggested. Her tone indicated that she didn't particularly want to go along with it, but I decided not to push for answers. "We may find your friends up there..."

I grinned. "Alright then."

_Although something deep down tells me that we won't..._

So we both went in, and I pressed the button for the third floor. It was a really (and I mean really) long elevator ride, every so often I attempted to strike up a conversation and Maria would respond positively, but most of the time we remained in silence.

Once the doors slid open, we both walked out and I instantly started to check the doors on the patient wing. Unfortunately, like last time, they were either locked or shut tight.

"ARGH!" I yelled in frustration. "Can one of these goddamn doors at least be OPEN?!"

My anger then turned to relief as I saw Maria standing at a rather large one at the end of the hallway. I ran to it and one by one, we entered. The atmosphere was rather icy in this room. The walls were coloured in a greyish white and standing in the very centre, was a simple fridge.

Which too was shut tight.

I grabbed it's handle and struggled to pull it up, grunting as I did so. That handle was so heavy! Knowing what to do, I turned to Maria and gave her a look as if to say: _"Please can you give me a hand here?"_

She grinned. "When I was here with James, I teased him about being the big man who needed a little girl like me to help."

"You gonna do the same thing with me?" I wanted to know, taking care not to show that I was still frustrated.

"With you? Of course not." Was the answer I got.

Maria then came over and grabbed the handle with both hands and together, we managed to get the fridge door open. To be honest, I half expected to see lots of first-aid kits and health drinks inside, but the only thing in there was a simple ring.

"Huh, not very cute is it?" My friend said, as she picked it up from the cold fridge, handing it to me after a brief moment. "Here, you can have it."

Despite not liking the look of the ring, I took it anyways. "Hm, thanks a lot."

_As soon as I get back to my apartment, I'm dumping this somewhere..._

Without hesitation, we left the room. The plan was simple; unlock the strange door, escape the hospital and find Manny and his family. We didn't manage to find them in the hallways so... I guessed that they probably went on, leaving me behind.

Once we reached the door, I couldn't help but take a good look at it. It showed a large drawing of a woman whose hand was 3D and sticking out. Maybe that's what the ring's purpose was. I slid the ring on and used the key to unlock the door. A clicking sound irrupted, indicating that it was now open.

_Freeeeeedom! Yes!_

I quickly reloaded my weapons, just in case if anything horrible happens. We had a bit of a long staircase to descend and Maria was shuddering as if she remembered something. Again, I didn't push her as I could tell that she did not want to talk about it.

As we descended further, something deep down told me that we were below the hospital's basement and a negative feeling began to arise in my stomach, telling me that someone was probably following us.

We soon reached a simple grey door at the very end, signalling that we were close to the exit. I gently placed my hand on the doorknob and after a moment of hesitation, turned it. The sight that greeted us was a REALLY long hallway weaving and turning corners here and there. Dried blood splattered the walls, giving us a sense of horror.

"Let's just get out of here..." Maria said, feeling just as frightened as I was.

"Okay..." I answered, gripping my pistol tightly.

The next few minutes were absolutely terrifying. As soon as we turned round the first corner, I heard a familiar laugh and turned round to find myself face to face with the man in the blue coat. He wasn't alone though, as an enormous masculine monster stood in front of him, draped in brown and wearing a huge pyramid on his head.

_In fact, his name was...Pyramid Head._

"MARIA, RUN!" I screamed, firing a couple of bullets whilst she took off. The man laughed again as I sprinted off after my endangered friend.

_No, no, no, no, no, F*CK NO!_

I eventually managed to catch up with her and ended up in the lead, as we ran for our lives. Unfortunately, Pyramid Head was in hot pursuit and damn, he moved fast!

"Maria, we gotta move!" I screamed again, firing more bullets at the monster. We then ran and didn't look back, weaving and turning around corners until...

An elevator came into view...

"Hey, we're almost out! We're gonna make it!" I shouted reassuringly, hopefully managing to calm Maria down in some way.

Sprinting towards it, I had no idea that she was further behind, still running for her life. It was only when I reached the elevator that I found out. She was moaning in pain and agony, with tears streaming down her face. Pyramid Head and the man had caught up to her, whilst I desperately tried to keep the doors open, long enough.

"MEGAN!" She howled, knowing full well that she wasn't going to make it.

She did make it, but at the same time she didn't. It was too late. Her arm managed to get through the now closing doors as I tried to pry them open. Normally, they would have done so lightly, but it was different here. "C'MON, C'MON!"

In a flash, our attackers were right behind her and I heard the man's laugh echo all around us, this time he was cackling. I realised right there, that I was unable to save Maria, all I could do...was helplessly watch.

"MEGAN!"

I still tried doing what I was doing, losing most of my energy as I did so. I screamed out her name, cursed her murderers loudly and wrestled hard to keep the doors open. "NOOOOOO!"

The last thing I heard was Maria howling my name once more, before her hand turned to a bright white and fell lifeless. Looking down, I saw a drenched red spear coming through the gap. I screamed again as I watched her hand disappear, followed by her executioner's weapon.

Gasping for breath, I lost my balance and fell to the elevator floor with a hard thud. Fainted. My guilt was now more painful than ever. Not one, but two victims I failed to rescue. I struggled desperately to fight back the incoming tears which were threatening to spill. "Maria..., I...I'm so sorry..."

_I couldn't do anything to help... Manny and the Herd have run off somewhere..._

_Elise, what should I do...?_

_Should I keep going and fight... Or should I give up and..._

_I'm going to reunite with the Herd, and afterwards...I'm going to find my mother..._

_It's the only thing I have left to hope for..._


	15. Chapter 15: Alone in the Darkness

** Chapter 15: Alone in the Darkness**

Guilt.

That's what I was currently suffering from.

I failed to rescue my two kind friends, Elise and Maria, from their tragic fates. My desperate attempts to save their lives were foiled miserably, leaving me in a horrible state, begging for just a tiny chance to redeem myself.

_Well, at least I now know who their murderer is... _

Manny and the Herd had left me behind in the dark nightmarish Brookhaven Hospital, believing that I got brutally assaulted and died alone. If that's what they want to think, then fine. Even though I can take care of myself, I'm still going to find them and prove that I'm alright.

_A friend shouldn't be left behind anyways..._

Before I made up my mind, I actually considered giving up and staying right in the very spot I lay. People would see me as a depressed teenager, whose thoughts are filled with one thing; the failures to save those held most dear. And I would be left isolated like I always have. Yeah, that would have been a suitable ending for me.

_No. No. I'm not going to stop. I'm going to keep pushing forward..._

Slowly opening my eyes, I struggled with effort to pull myself up to my feet. I knew that I suddenly fainted after what occurred, due to a strong and startling sensation of shock and horror. Most girls in my position would have decided to remain tough and jaded right until the end, not letting a moment of vulnerability surface.

I was going to be one of them.

"Okay, I gotta get outta here..." I muttered to myself, as I exited the elevator.

Like the rest of the hospital, the lobby had changed. It was even more darker and the walls looked they were made out of cold grey tarp. Most of the doors, even the front one happened to be locked, leaving me trapped inside.

_There has to be a key somewhere, there has to be..._

At least I still had my trusty flashlight and radio in my possession. They certainly helped me, even in the most terrifying situations. I quickly flipped on the switch in order to see things better, and began looking around. Truth be told, I felt really terrified being alone here. It was like I was reliving my life all over again but without my family to guide me through it. The tears were still threatening to spill so the whole time, I kept mentally shouting and screaming in my head to not break down emotionally.

"Get it together..." I scolded myself. "Now is not the time..."

I decided to quickly nip into the ladies' bathroom to prepare for what was going to happen next. Placing the weapons on a nearby small shelf, I let myself fall back against the wall and wrapped my arms together, trying to calm my breathing. There were a couple of items stored in the same shelf I used; a map of the town, health drinks, first-aid kits and even an ampoule. On a mirror ledge next to me was a sightseeing brochure.

"Heh, let's see what this says..." I murmured as I grabbed the paper, taking a good look at it as I did so.

_"Welcome to Silent Hill!_

_Silent Hill, a quiet little lakeside resort town. We're happy to have you. Take some time out of your busy schedules to enjoy a nice, restful vacation here._

_Row after row of quaint houses, a gorgeous mountain landscape, and a lake which shows different sides of it's beauty with the passing of the day, from sunrise to late afternoons to sunset._

_Silent Hill will move you and fill you with a feeling of deep peace. I hope your time here will be pleasant and your memories will last forever._

_Editor: Roger Widmark."_

I am not going to lie, as soon as I read that, I immediately scrunched up the paper with my hands and threw it hard into the nearby bin. I used to believe what it said, but after seeing what happened here, my opinion changed from positive to negative.

"Pfft, what town were you visiting?" I scoffed.

Afterwards, I grabbed the map and health items, quickly storing them into my backpack along with my weapons. Just as I slipped my arms through the blue straps, I heard a slow loud creak. The first toilet door was open, and the sight that greeted me wasn't a particularly nice one. The water inside was completely dirty and mildly drenched in blood.

_Which...kinda makes me want to throw up._

Being a girl who liked to take risks and be surprising once in a while, I marched up to it to take a look inside in case if anything was in there. As a matter of fact, there was. Only, I wasn't brave enough to reach in with my own hand.

I sighed. "There should be something here for me to use..."

Looking around, I noticed a rather long hanger located where my backpack was a few minutes ago. I quickly grabbed it and prepared myself for what I was about to do.

"I'm gonna regret this..." I shuddered. "So badly..."

Clenching my eyes shut, I fished the hanger into the toilet and lifted it back out in a matter of seconds, reopening my eyes soon afterwards. The item I got was the front key; the item I needed to bail out of this freaky hospital.

"Ugh..! Who would want to shove their hand down a toilet?" I pondered, shaking my head in disgust. "Gross..."

After quickly washing my hands, I opened the bathroom door and found myself back in the first floor hallway.

But strangely, I felt like I wasn't alone.

I suspected that someone had just arrived in pursuit of me. Wanting to take me away and keep me from finding my mother. Not letting me complete my quest. Shaking the thoughts away, I clutched my pistol tightly and made my way to the exit. Unfortunately, it was now nighttime outside, meaning that the streets were pitch black.

With a deep breath, I unlocked the door, turned the knob and took the first step out into the darkness. "Alright..."

_Manny, you and the Herd can't be that far away..._


	16. Chapter 16: Lakeside Amusement Park

**Chapter 16: Lakeside Amusement Park**

_(Meanwhile, out on the streets of Silent Hill...)_

**M-M**

She's gone.

Ever since the transition into the Otherworld, we searched all across the hospital for the kid. But she was nowhere to be seen.

I immediately assumed that she died, but everyone disagreed, not wanting to accept it.

"W_hat if Megan's not dead?! What if she's still alive?!_" Both Peaches and Louis pointed out, feeling painfully guilty.

"_Buddy, the poor kid's probably lost and frightened, looking for us..._" Diego murmured, trying to comfort Shira who also didn't want to believe that the kid had died.

"_Manny, if we see Megan, we're going to apologise for what we did. We shouldn't leave a friend behind, ever._" Ellie said, giving me a look of regret and sadness.

Despite wanting so badly to agree with my family, we had to press on. Even if it meant...not seeing the kid again.

So far, our trip was not particularly exciting; we remained in an uncomfortable silence, none of us saying a word. I understood why and even though I may not reveal it, deep down, I hated myself for what we did.

_And I know at some point, I'm going to have to come out of my cold shell..._

We continued walking down Nathan Avenue, fighting off the occasional monsters that decided to show up. Since this was our first visit to the town, we had no idea what kinds of locations there were.

Luckily, the billboards that stood on the side of the streets provided us with some information; Lake View Hotel and Lakeside Amusement Park. Old Silent Hill was also on that list with Midwich Elementary School and Balkan Church.

It was a bit of a trek, but we had to visit just one.

"Let's go to the amusement park." I suggested to everyone else. "We might find something useful there."

"What about the hotel?" Buck put in, gesturing in a wild manner in an effort to prove his point. "That place is massive, we could pretty much find everything in there!"

"I know what you mean Buck, it's just that..." I trailed off, trying to think of the right words. As much as I wanted to get out of this nightmare with my family, I couldn't help but feel like something (or someone) was going to keep us here.

For eternity.

After a moment of silence, I sighed heavily. "Let's keep moving."

"Alright then, whatever..." Peaches muttered quietly so that I couldn't hear, but loud enough.

With that, we continued on.

Suddenly, a group of lying figures came trudging slowly towards us in a threatening manner. Even though I couldn't see very well (due to the darkness), I was able to count at least six or seven of them. Ellie, Crash, Eddie and Flynn immediately stepped back to avoid getting in the way of our attacks whilst the rest of us prepared ourselves.

One lying figure made the first move by leaning back slightly, letting a harmful gas spray out and hit me. I clutched my head in pain and groaned whilst Diego quickly pounced on it with a mighty roar and finished it off. Recovering a few seconds later, I lunged at two other lying figures and whacked them hard with my trunk, damaging them severely. Peaches did the same thing with another one, assisted by Louis and Shira who both went to great lengths to defend her.

Buck let out his cowboy cry and repeatedly stabbed it's friend, killing it instantly. Sid and Granny were brutally hitting the following ones with their weapons, struggling with effort as they did so. Just as we were about to finish off the last one, a gunshot rang out and our target fell with a distorted squeal, eventually slowing down it's movement as it's life faded away.

I gasped for breath as did the rest of us. My wife quickly came out of her hiding spot, followed by the possums and Flynn with worried expressions clearly written on their faces. Ellie immediately ran up to me and nuzzled me tightly, entwining her trunk with mine. "Manny, are you okay...?"

I smiled and nuzzled her back, also wrapping my trunk around hers. "I'm alright Ellie, don't worry..."

She also smiled with relief and after a few moments, we both pulled away. Just as we were about to continue on to the amusement park, a commanding feminine voice rang out, making us stop in our tracks:

"_Freeze!_"

**M-P**

"Don't move."

I looked around in all directions to see who the female voice belonged to but thanks to the darkness, I couldn't. Louis buried his face into the warmth of my fur in fright, trying to calm his breathing. I reached up with my trunk and gently stroked his fur, whispering words of comfort as I did so. "It's gonna be alright Louis, I promise..."

"Show yourself!" Dad shouted, standing protectively in front of us like he did back at home when Megan first showed up. "Who are you?!"

Eventually, the owner of the voice revealed herself. She had bright blond hair similar to Maria's, but without the pink tips at the edges. Her outfit consisted of a short-sleeved turquoise top with several badges including a gold one, tight black leather pants and a pair of shiny black boots. To add the final touch, she wore short gloves in the same colour and in her hands, was a pistol.

Aimed directly at us.

_Who is this lady?!_

"My name is Cybil Bennett." The woman replied, keeping her tight grip on her gun. "You animals shouldn't be existing in our time."

"Well, what year are we in?" Dad demanded, obviously worried that she would pull the trigger and shoot us. "And we're trying to get out of this town anyway, so we don't want any trouble..."

Hearing this, the woman lowered her pistol and stared at us for a second, taking the information in. "You're in the year 2015."

_SERIOUSLY?!_

There was a small moment of silence, before she spoke up. "I don't suppose you've seen a sixteen year old girl around here, have you? Her name is Megan Ellis and I've been asked by her father to find her and her mother."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... You've been what?" I asked, with confusion lacing my tone.

As soon as those words left my mouth, Cybil sighed. "It's ... rather a long story." There was a slight pause as she slipped her gun back into her jean pocket. "You see, I've been to this town before and seen what it can do. Mr Ellis is here too, at the Wish House Orphanage, searching for them."

_This is getting weird..._

"We're friends with his daughter." Mum suddenly said, stepping forward. "Although, we've been unfortunatley separated during a major problem we had, involving ... what this town does."

Hearing this, Cybil gave us a sympathetic look. "I'm really sorry to hear that. On the other hand, I wouldn't particulary worry much if she can handle herself against those monsters."

"You've run into them?!" Uncle Sid gasped, with complete shock lacing his tone.

"Sid," Shira warned, turning her head in a flash to glare at him. "Let's not harass this woman, she must be busy right now with the search."

_At least we're not the only ones who fought the monsters..._

"The last time I saw Megan was at Brookhaven Hospital. I don't know where she is now, but that was where we last saw her." I eventually added.

As much as I wanted to head back there to find Megan myself, I hoped that the information I gave would help Cybil in her search.

She smiled appreciatively and nodded. "Thank you. Where are you guys planning to go now?"

"Lakeside Amusement Park." I answered, smiling back at her.

_Well at least we're on her good side now..._

"You guys do best to stay nearby. After I'm done at Brookhaven Hospital, I'll come back with help as quick as I can." Our new friend said, after a moment of silence.

Soon after Cybil left to continue her search for Megan, Dad instantly turned round to face us with a determined expression written on his face. "Okay... You all ready to continue on?"

"Yep, we are..." Was our response.

Truth be told, we all wanted to follow Cybil back to Brookhaven Hospital, but we knew that we had to press on and get out of this crazy place. Either way, I knew that Megan would come back, probably severely injured or perfectly alright. That particular thought was on my mind for the rest of the journey, even when the bright lights of the front sign came into view, indicating that we were close to our destination.

_Megan, I hope you'll be able to make it... We're all sorry for leaving you behind..._


	17. Chapter 17: Killed by Death

**Chapter 17: Killed by Death**

_(A few hours later...)_

**P-M**

I ran.

During the long and tiring trip from Brookhaven Hospital, all I did was run. Avoiding the monsters and locations, I just ran straight across Nathan Avenue. But I did end up colliding into a police woman who happened to be looking for me. What was her name again...? Oh yeah, Cybil Bennett. As soon as she saw me, I was stopped in my tracks and she went to take hold of my arm. But I wrenched it free, mainly out of fear.

_I didn't know who she was, anyway..._

"Are you Megan Ellis?" She asked me, stepping towards me in a slow and cautious manner.

"Yes..." I managed to answer. "Who are you and what do you want?!"

The answer I got was quite shocking. "Your father called me and asked me to find you."

_I mean, seriously. __I thought Dad was working!_

My tone was icy and razor-sharp, sending a warning to Cybil as she stepped back feeling alarmed. To be honest, I wasn't convinced at all because I believed that Dad's work deadline was a couple of weeks from now and he always knuckles down and gets on with he's supposed to do. "There's no way that my father's back, no way."

"Mr Ellis was allowed to come home early to surprise you and your mum, but the two of you were nowhere to be found. But he did see this hole in your room..." The police woman began explaining to me.

_Whaaaaaaat!? Dad's found the hole too...?_

"So my dad's here now. Where is he?" I wanted to know, still keeping my distance in case Cybil wanted to arrest me. One of the reasons why I'm not a huge fan of the police was that even though I do respect them, they can sometimes be rather annoying as they follow you everywhere if they think you've committed a crime. Back when I was about...nine or ten years old, one of my uncles got pulled over by a police officer for something that he didn't do and after a while, they let him go. But before that, they were really intent on going for him in hot pursuit.

"He's now at the Wish House Orphanage, which is not far from here." Was the answer that I was looking for.

With a nod and a thumbs up to say "Thanks", I quickly took off again.

Right now, I had a rag-tag team of prehistoric animals I needed to search for.

There were the threat of monsters roaming the streets, which I happened to not be too worried about. After all, it was a wide space, not like in my apartment complex or the hospital I've just been to. Speaking of, I began to wonder how Sonic was doing back home. He was either getting ready for his party or having the time of his life with Tails and all the other guests. My mind drifted to the previous worlds that I visited and what the next ones were going to be; one of them could be my school or another one could be the South Ashfield Heights apartments. I still didn't believe in the rumours about that place, but...who knows where my friends and I might end up after this?

Soon, the luminous lights that read '_Lakeside Amusement Park_' came into view, sending a spark of excitement flooding through me.

"Well, this is the place." I murmured as I reached the metal entrance. "The Herd must be inside already."

Even though I had a feeling that my trip wasn't going to end well, I walked in anyways. The fog was still as thick as it was on the streets, almost like an icy cruel winter had set in. I shivered as I wrapped my arms around my body, trying my best not to let out a gasp. All around me were black metal cages with disturbing sights inside, along with bloodied costumes of Robbie the Rabbit who happened to be the mascot.

_Which reminds me ... I need to get changed when I get home!_

Smacking my forehead in annoyance, I kept going until I found myself facing a huge dirty door, beckoning me into the nightmare due to it's appearance. "It's now or never..."

Taking a deep breath, I turned the knob and went in. Ready for whatever kind of hell was waiting for me.

Just as I entered the dark building, a pair of razor-sharp jaws immediately latched themselves on my leg in a flash. I screamed as I desperately tried to fight the sniffer dog off by kicking it with my other free leg. As soon as it let go, I grabbed my pistol and fired five or six bullets in an effort to defend myself. Eventually my attacker fell lifeless, showing its' wounds. I didn't have time to inspect my now severely injured leg because two closers and a small group of double heads were now advancing towards me, deciding that I was their most wanted target.

_Y'know what? Screw it..._

Groaning in agony, I aimed my pistol at the closers and fired. I swore that I was low on bullets by the time they fell down. But there were still the blasted dogs out to get me. With a grunt of frustration, I clutched my injured leg and ran. Even though it looked like I was hobbling in an idiotic way. I sprinted past a row of stores which I presumed were locked, and managed to make it into the next room. Unfortunately, there were more lying figures and air screamers waiting for me. Not forgetting another group of sniffer dogs snarling and baring their fangs.

"Oh, f*ck off!" I shouted at them.

It was a really bad idea to stay and fight the monsters, because due to the state of my wounds and if I did, I would die right here. So I kept going until I found myself ascending a long staircase which led up to the Mountain Coaster. Without hesitating, I pulled the fence open and entered the tracks. A warning bell was ringing in my head, telling me that the outcome of going through here was negative. Despite wanting to head back, I pushed forward and found myself becoming alert as a low hum of an engine began erupting in the direction I was walking in.

_No..._

Soon, the bright lights of a small rollercoaster car came into view followed by the vehicle. My panting became quick as I looked around to find a solution. The only one was to jump off the tracks, and potentially wind up dead. After several seconds of hesitation, I clenched my eyes shut and let myself fall off, narrowly avoiding the car.

The only thoughts I had as I fell down were getting out of the nightmare with my mother, father and the Herd alive...

_Or dying and never getting the chance to see them again..._

**M-S**

Exploring.

That's all we did, ever since we arrived.

During our trip through the park, all Diego and I could think about was Megan and how we left her behind. She was only a kid who was looking for her mother, not a threat like Manny thought of her as. Even though we didn't get that many chances to talk to her, our young friend seemed kind and willing to assist if there was a problem.

_Which is what we all like in a friend..._

"Are you okay Shira?" My husband asked me, with concern lacing his tone.

I turned to look at him with a brave smile. "I'm not feeling 100%, but I'm alright regardless..."

As we walked through the attraction areas, we chatted in different groups about what was going to occur after we eventually leave. Although most likely, we would end up back home like our adventure here never happened.

_But I won't forget it... Ever..._

"We'll find her, don't worry." Diego soothed, nuzzling me in an attempt to calm me down. "Megan's a brave kid, she can handle her own just fine. I've seen her take down those lying figures in one shot, so that's my evidence."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, you might be right..."

**S-C**

My trip through Brookhaven Hospital was really tough after my run-in with Megan. She seemed friendly, just a little scared and frightened of the horrific curse that Silent Hill held over her and her friends.

I arrived at the amusement park a few hours later and decided to head to a certain attraction I wasn't particularly a huge fan of. The Happy Carousel, or should I say, unhappy carousel. The last time I was on that ride, I suddenly became possessed by an evil spirit and tried to fight my friend Harry Mason. I didn't know how the evil spirit possessed me, but I do know that Harry managed to save my life after a painful struggle.

_Speaking of ..., I hope he's alright.._

As I stood outside the attraction, hundreds of warning bells were ringing loudly in my head almost like...they were telling me not to go on. "Just ignore it Cybil," I told myself, taking a deep breath. "Just do it and see what happens."

Soon after another moment of hesitation, I opened the cold metal gate and stepped on the brown wooden floor that belonged to the carousel. Looking around, I could already hear soft footsteps slowly echoing, indicating that I wasn't alone. "Who's there?!" I demanded, raising my gun. "Come out!"

No answer. Maybe, I was just being paranoid. The sudden slow creak of the gate didn't help ease my mind. Panting, I whirled round to find myself face to face with—

_Walter Sullivan..._

I recognised him instantly, due to his long dirty-blind hair and bloodied dark coat. It was impossible, he died years ago! How is he still here, perfectly alive and well?!

A scream was begging to force its' way out of my throat, but nothing came. We both stared at each other in complete silence, not saying a word. I didn't know if I was supposed to make the first move or if he was. Suddenly, the carousel decided to start moving, with the happy tune indicating as its' signal. I backed away, aiming my pistol at my assailant as he advanced towards me with a menacing smirk.

_What in the devil's name...?!_

"No..." I shuddered. "No, don't.."

Memories of my fight with Harry immediately flashed repeatedly in my head as I let my body take over. I fired four bullets into Walter, almost missing every time. As soon as one bullet hit him, he stumbled back slightly, wincing in pain. But he wasn't going to let that stop him. With a laugh that could send you into hysterics, Walter lunged towards me with his knife, aiming for my neck. I dodged him by taking a huge step back and fired again, panicking and breathing heavily.

"You're mine, now." Walter said, grinning as he knew he had me right where he wanted me. "No one can save you, not even your friend."

I shook my head in disbelief. I wasn't going to let him kill me, especially after all of those 21 murders and the Princess of Soleanna. Due to the case and her recent death, I suspected that Walter was behind all of it. Even if he himself was no more.

_So, the person I'm fighting now is a... Is a... Victim Ghost?!_

Just as I was about to fire again, the unexpected happened. Walter tackled and pinned me to the ground, blowing my chance of firing away. My fist connected with his jaw brutally as I desperately tried to defend myself. He grabbed both my wrists tightly and forced them back to the ground, making me scream in agony.

Walter laughed again, leaning down in a slow manner to whisper something in my ear: "Now it is time for you to leave this world forever."

Realising that there was no way that I was going to make it, I shut my eyes and braced myself for the blow that would send me into the darkness of death.

Not knowing that someone had saw what was happening and entered the attraction to save my life.

_Go ahead..._

**C-M**

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" I screamed with boiling rage, as I lunged towards the man with the coat.

Just as I entered, I unfortunately saw him deliver four or five brutal blows to Cybil's upper body, giving me the impression that she was the next victim.

I tackled him to the ground and repeatedly connected my fists with his forehead and face, grunting and shouting in effort. The result was him eventually shoving me off, turning round to leave the area.

Pulling myself back up, I managed to catch my breath as I ran to check on the police woman. She was moaning in agony and struggling to breathe as the realisation that she was succumbing to her wounds dawned on her. "I'm sorry, Cybil. I should of come sooner!"

"It's okay, I suspected that this was going to happen to me anyway." She replied, wincing as she gave me a reassuring smile which I returned.

"I-I-I-I'll call an ambulance!" I quickly stammered, panicking as I looked around for a nearby telephone. "Where the hell is that blasted phone?!" I shouted more to myself than her.

"Wait. I don't think they're going to make it, if you call them." Cybil breathed, latching her hand on mine. "Don't worry though, I'll say Hi to Elise for you."

_No, not you..._

Elise, Maria and now Cybil. Not one, not two but three. Why couldn't life let me save at least just one victim?! WHY?!

All I could do was watch the police woman fall lifeless as she passed away. After a moment of silence, I gently closed Cybil's eyes and pulled myself up to my feet. The metal gate suddenly opened and a slender warm trunk wrapped round my waist, tightening it's grip. I turned round to realise that every member of the Herd had entered the carousel, relieved to see that I was alive.

"Guys..." I murmured, still shaken by what had just occurred. "W-Wh-Why did you leave me behind...?"

"Megan, we are all so sorry!" Peaches cried, her voice cracking as she tightened her grip even more. "We thought you were dead!"

Manny and Ellie stepped forward, along with Sid, Diego, Shira and the others. Judging by the looks on their faces, they were relieved to see me as well.

"We're really sorry that we left you, sweetie." Ellie apologised, smiling at me.

"Yeah, we all are." Manny put in.

Even though I was emotionally shocked by everything that happened since I found the hole, I gave my friends an acknowledging small grin. "It's all good. We're cool."

_At least I'm with the Herd again... _

_I guess it's now time for me to head back home and venture into the next world..._

_And hopefully, I'll manage to save the next victim..._


	18. Chapter 18: Healing

**Chapter 18: Healing**

**M-S**

_(Flashback - Late March, 2007)_

It was another tough day at work for me, due to my boss screaming furiously at people who he thought did something wrong. I luckily wasn't one of these people, which was a huge relief. But hey, there's always going home to look forward to.

I suspected that my husband was still at his workplace, just finishing up as well. He wasn't particularly a fan of his job and neither was I with my one. As I exited the building into the streets, I instantly took my phone out of my bag and dialled for a method of transport.

"Hi there, can I have a taxi please?" I asked the woman on the other end, smiling as one of my loved ones entered my thoughts. "It's going to North Ashfield Primary."

The woman then asked for my name which I told her, and she eventually said that it was on its' way. I quickly thanked her and hung up, still thinking of my loved one. It took about...five or ten minutes for my vehicle to arrive and soon we were moving. The driver seemed really nice; blond and slightly pale with sapphire blue eyes. He was in his mid-twenties and just like me, he was also looking forward to going home.

"So, do you have any plans for the week?"

"Yes, I do. My daughter's birthday's coming up, so my husband and I are getting everything ready for it." I answered, positively.

"That's cool, how old is your kid?"

"She'll be turning eight next month, which she's very excited about."

"Seems nice, I bet you're looking forward to seeing her then."

"I am, definitely." I replied, smiling at the thought.

Eventually, we reached the school and already kids were pilling out, excited to see their families. I got out of the car, thanking the driver as I did so. "Thanks a lot, hope you have a great day."

"No problem!"

My eyes scanned along the crowds of happy children and spotted one that I really wanted to see; She looked so adorable in her white shirt, jeans and trainers, along with her short light brown hair. Whenever she's with me or my husband, she's so happy and cheerful all the time, it's only if she's with other children or by herself that she becomes a shadow of her former self; frustrated, isolated and put down. Once I heard what was happening at her school, I swore that I would do everything in my power that make sure that she's okay.

And this little girl is my daughter, Megan.

Her emerald green eyes landed on mine and a huge grin creased her cheeks. "Hi mommy!"

"Hey you!" I shouted back enthusiastically, crouching down to her level as she ran up to me. "How are you?"

Megan took her time to respond as I could see from the look on her face, she was really pleased to see me. "I'm feeling a lot better now that you're here."

Hearing this, my smile faded slightly. "Oh, did something happen sweetheart?"

"It was just the same things that happen all the time really; I get ignored and spend most of my time alone." My daughter answered, sadly. Her tone suggested that her desire to be noticed by someone different was slowly growing, and I couldn't argue against her. I gripped her shoulders tightly and looked her in the eye, wanting nothing more than to make Megan happy.

"Someone will notice you one day, I'm sure of it. But now, we gotta keep trying and get the kids to understand you. But when the time comes, the right person walk up to you, tap you on the shoulder and say Hello. It will happen soon, just be patient."

I was expecting a negative response, but instead my daughter's infectious smile creased her cheeks as she nodded. "Okay, I'll try."

There was a moment of comfortable silence, before a brilliant idea came into my mind. "Now what do you say we head home and play a little bit of your favourite game franchise?"

As soon as those words left my mouth, Megan's face lit up with an excited grin due to the mention of a certain blue hedgehog. "I'd like that a lot!"

* * *

**S-M**

_(Reality - Mid June 2015)_

My guilt was now even more painful; I failed to save three victims whom I witnessed die at the hands of some insane monster. My trip through the town of Silent Hill was a memory that I desperately wanted to forget. As I pulled myself up, a scream of agony overtook me as I realised that my leg was still severely wounded, so bad that it needed stitching.

If there wasn't anyone else around to help, then I had to bite the bullet and do it myself. My mother used to train in first-aid classes at college and taught me how to stitch a injury when I was 13. So at least, I had some experience.

_But not to stitch up my own wounds..._

I quickly grabbed some tissues, a small jug of water and set of needles and thread, sitting down on the floor. I shuddered at the idea of doing this, but it had to be done. Lifting up my bloodied jean leg, I grimaced and struggled to hold back any incoming vomit as I gazed at my wound. Due to the dark scarlet multiple bite marks on my pale skin, I could tell that the sniffer dog's teeth had sunk deep thus leaving me in this horrific state.

"Okay," I whispered to myself. "The sooner you do it, the better..."

After pouring a small amount of water on my injury, I grabbed the needle and thread. Breathing heavily, I clenched my eyes shut tight and began the dreadful process. I screamed in pain and agony, as I fought hard not to slam my head into the living room table. "Just keep going, just keep going!"

Soon, I managed to stitch my leg back together. The fortunate thing was that it was over, but that meant that my living room floor was now mildly stained in dark red. I gasped in relief and applied pressure to my wound with a tissue. "Thank god..."

_Hopefully I won't have to do that again..._

I spent the next couple of minutes trying to calm my breathing and to keep my mind of the horrors that the Herd and I have been through. I attempted to clean up the blood stains and managed to make some progress, but unfortunately they were still there, but slowly fading away. "Alright..."

Looking around, I remembered that there were two other things I needed to do. I quickly put the items back and ran over to the kitchen to wash my hands. Afterwards, I ran into my bedroom to get changed. My new outfit consisted of a simple white t-shirt with a striped jacket with different shades of blue on the top and bottom with a bright white in the middle. I then stripped out of my jeans to put on a lighter pair, discarding my favourite outfit into the wash basket I kept in my own bathroom.

"Okay, well that's sorted out." I murmured to myself. "Now let's go and see what's up with Sonic."

Re-entering the living room, I walked over to the small hole and knelt down to look inside. The sight I was greeted with was rather pleasant and cheerful, one that brought a huge smile to my mouth.

"Aaaaaah! I'm _so_ excited, guys!"

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow were all dressed in their party outfits and I gotta say, damn! They looked smart! Amy was dressed in a floral pink dress coming down to the knees, whilst the boys were dressed in suits draped in their signature colours.

Team Heroes sat on the bed, laughing in amusement at Amy's excitement and Shadow was smiling too, crossing his arms deep in thought. I couldn't help but let out a giggle at what was happening. "This is so cool..."

Seems everyone's looking forward to their celebration, good for them. "Calm down Amy," Sonic said, grinning at Amy jumping up and down with enthusiasm. "We're excited too."

"Well of course I am. It's time for us to party!" Amy chirped, smiling at her friends.

"Oh," Knuckles spoke up. "I think we're almost set. You ready to go Shadow?"

"Indeed." The ultimate life-form replied.

"We'll see you down in the lobby, Sonic. You gonna be okay up here?" Tails asked, pulling himself up with Knuckles, Amy and Shadow in tow.

Sonic just simply threw a wide grin and his signature thumbs-up. "Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

_I'm sure you will..._

The four then exited the room, leaving Sonic to have some last minute thoughts. Just as I was about to leave, an unexpected event occurred. My idol was now looking in my direction and leaning forward slightly.

_Whaaaaat?! No, no, this is not happening._

Shaking my head a couple of times, I kept my eyes locked onto his. Maybe...this can be my chance...

I can finally strike up a conversation with someone I hold close to my heart...

Unaware that I was now trembling in excitement and nervousness, I balled my hands into fists as Sonic slowly got up and took a step forward. "Hello?"

_Don't waste this, Megan. This is the only chance you're going to get!_

"Um, um,..." I stammered. "H-Hi, um..., I'm Megan and I'm ... one of your fans..."

Panting, I braced myself for the moment that I waited so long for. But unfortunately, the blue hedgehog stopped and shook his head in disbelief. "No, there's no one there."

"W-What? I'm right here mate!" I cried out, waving both my arms hysterically. "See me?!"

No answer. Sonic sighed and decided to leave the room in preparation for his party. I smacked my forehead in annoyance, having blown yet another chance to talk to my idol.

"Alright..." I muttered, trying to calm myself down. "We can try again."

Pulling myself up to my feet, I grabbed my pistol and some extra bullets for it. Walking into the bedroom, I gazed at the hole with hesitation. This time, it looked different strangely. It was now round with a clear halo of the sun pattern and four placards labelled with different words; Temptation, Source, Watchfulness and Chaos. I frowned in thought, snapping out of my dream-like state. Taking a deep breath, I lifted myself up and crawled my way in.

_Where will the hole lead to this time...?_

_Truth be told, I have a horrible feeling that I know who the next victim is..._

_Regardless of where I end up, I'm going to do everything in my power to prevent the next murder..._

_And hopefully, I'll manage to get a good result..._


	19. Chapter 19: Silver Lake Apartments

**Chapter 19: Silver Lake Apartments**

When I came to, I discovered that I was lying face-down on strong metal grating. I opened my eyes and pulled myself up to my feet, taking in my surroundings. Turns out, I was standing in a really dark hallway with the ceiling lights flickering.

_Thank god I have my flashlight..._

Unfortunately, there was someone else in the hallway. Someone that I didn't want to see. The man in the coat who happening to be knocking on a familiar door:

**'Room 303'**

_Sonic's room...? Dude, don't you dare go in there..._

I was prepared to march up and prevent the man from heading in, but all he did was turn and disappear round the corner. Clutching my weapons tightly, I racked my brains for a suitable plan of attack. I could find the Herd, explain to Sonic's friends what was happening and enter Room 303 to protect my idol.

_If he happens to be the next victim..._

I hated the thought of the man targeting Sonic with a burning passion, so much that I was willing to let him go after me in order to protect my idol. Yes guys, I'm thinking about the fastest thing alive when I'm supposed to be thinking about my mother. When I have thought about her 24/7 and still am.

"Wow so, I guess I'm here in my apartment..." I murmured. "What have I gotten myself into..?"

After a while, I shook my head and began to make my way through the corridoors, passing Sonic's room and entering the stairwell as I did so.

**M-S**

_Knock..._

_Knock..._

_Knock..._

"Huh?" I murmured, as I gazed at my front door. I didn't know who would want to see me at such an early hour, so I investigated. At first, I thought it was Shadow or even Eggman. Speaking of, I haven't seen him in almost several years, since my last adventure when Tails and I saved the Lost Hex.

_I wonder what's up with Baldy McNose Hair now..._

As I threw open my door, I saw that no one was there. I was probably just hearing things. Way to go, Sonic.

"Just stop, man." I scolded myself as I closed it. "It's not like you're caught up in a nightmare or anything."

I decided to take a seat on my sofa to think about my apartment and the neighbours. They seemed really friendly and kind, knowing not to bother me too much whenever I was busy. Although, I never got the chance to meet the occupants of Room 302 and get to know them. All I knew was that they were a family of three; a father, mother and daughter. Come to think of it, I always liked talking to older kids since they're mature, kind and will do what the adult tells them.

_Heh, maybe I should meet up with the daughter sometime..._

That sounded like a brilliant idea. After the party's over, I could head over to Room 302 to get to know her. I'm gonna do it, who knows? Maybe she's a fan..?

A small smile creased my cheeks as I continued pondering. I adored my fans with a passion; they greet me with huge grins which I return and treat me like a normal person. I knew that some would occasionally get excited and squeal, but still...

"Well, time for me to get going..." I muttered, pulling myself up to my feet.

I quickly picked up my keys and walked over to open my front door. Just as I placed my hand on the doorknob, a warning bell starting ringing in my head to indicate this was a bad idea. Looking back one last time at my living room, I shook my thoughts away and braced myself for whatever was waiting for me outside.

I turned the knob and the door slowly creaked open. Instead of the normal pleasant hallways I was used to, it was now incredibly dark, so dark that I couldn't see a thing. But I knew that someone was standing in front of me.

Someone who I didn't even want to think about. Who I dismissed as nonsense when I first arrived in Ashfield.

My panting increased in speed, as panic took control of my body. Standing in front of me was a creepy-looking man draped in a blood stained blue coat with long-dirty blond hair.

"Hello, Sonic."

He smirked with a menacing chuckle which told me what he was here for. I immediately slammed the door on him in a desperate attempt to kick him out. But he pushed against it, struggling in effort.

"No! NO!" I screamed in fright. "GET AWAY FROM ME DUDE!"

The only response was a cold laugh and the door being thrown open, sending me flying until I hit the floor. I pulled myself up to my feet and prepared myself for the fight.

_Bring it on, Walter..._

**S-M**

"So, what do we do?!" Sid asked me as we ran through the hostile dark hallways.

I eventually managed to meet up with the Herd in the lobby but unfortunately Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps, they were still in the real world, safe from the horrors that we were currently trapped in now.

"We look around for a little longer and head up to Room 303." I responded, trying so hard not to worry about Sonic. "We won't be here for too long."

"Is there someone you're worried about?" Peaches wanted to know, concern lacing her tone.

My breathing had become quick due to the only thought running through my head. I kept convincing myself that nothing was going to happen to Sonic and that he was going to be okay. But yet, I couldn't help but feel that the worst was going to occur up in that room. "Yes." I responded, stopping to catch my breath. "I'd rather not talk about it though..."

Manny gave me a worried look. "Are you sure? You can tell us if you'd like."

After a brief moment of silence, I shook my head, panting. "I-I-I'll tell you guys later..."

"Okay." Was the answer I recieved.

Becoming more and more overcome with panic, I decided to skip looking around and head straight up to Room 303. I felt like I had to be there instantly, so I told the Herd my plan and they agreed. As we ascended the staircases, I sprinted the whole way up, ignoring the shouts telling me to slow down.

"KID, WAIT UP!" Buck yelled, panting as he and Flynn sprinted after me.

"SLOW DOWN!" Diego also shouted, with concern lacing his tone.

_I can't..._

Eventually, I reached Sonic's room and already, I could hear my idol screaming and groaning in agony. I scrambled desperately to open the door, whispering Sonic's name repeatedly as my friends arrived to help.

"We got your back kid, just get in there and save your friend alright?" Buck said, feeling just as concerned as I was.

I nodded as I finally unlocked the door. Throwing it open, I sprinted in with my friends in tow and froze at the dreadful sight before us.

_NO!_

The man turned round to face me, obviously pleased with the result he was getting. But what he didn't know was that there was still a chance for me to rescue Sonic and I was going to take it. Fear quickly transformed into anger as I gave out a scream of rage, lunging towards him.

How dare he?!

I wasn't going to let my guilt become more painful than ever. I wasn't going to let Sonic die and leave this world. Not like in 06 with Mephiles. No!

_You f*cking son of a B*TCH!_


	20. Chapter 20: Losing Hope

**Chapter 20: Losing Hope**

The fight was _on_.

I was slowly starting to lose hope in myself, even as I was punching and kicking the man in the coat with all my might. I couldn't let Sonic die, not after the other three victims that I failed to save; Elise, Maria and Cybil.

_Especially that he's a huge part of my life... _

"Do you really think that you can stop me?!" The man sneered, dodging my every move and socking me in the stomach.

I let out a groan of pain and glowered dangerously at him. "That blue hedgehog is my idol! And I'm not going to let you kill him, ever!"

My friends had apparently heard my words and gathered around me in an attempt to help. Manny immediately swooped in and whacked Sonic's assailant hard with his trunk. "Stay away from the kid!"

"Her?" The man demanded, pointing at me. "Or him?" He then pointed a bony finger down at a bruised, injured and battered Sonic who was struggling so hard to breathe.

It tore my heart into pieces just looking at the state he was in. So much, that I just wanted to pull my idol into my arms and comfort him the best I could. I quickly wiped away any incoming tears and connected my fist with the man's jaw, sending him flying until he hit the floor.

"Both of them!" Manny answered, glaring at him.

Meanwhile, I grabbed the man by the collar and socked him in the stomach, like he did to me. Afterwards, I continued punching and kicking, delivering blows that did some severe damage, due to the man's moans of agony. "You! Stupid! Piece! OF SH*T!"

_I have to stop him, I have to!_

Suddenly, my efforts were cut short by the man forcefully grabbing my left wrist and pulling me towards him. I screamed in pain as he twisted it roughly with that menacing grin of his. He then did something that shocked all of us, he lifted an arm back and connected it with my stomach, sending me off my feet and flying until my back hit against the wall with a hard smack.

"_Megan!_" Peaches yelled in fright.

I was breathing heavily, struggling to get back up on my feet as Manny was joined by Diego and Shira in attacking the man. Unfortunately, their attempts were thwarted by the man sending them flying and landing next to me. I sprinted towards the man again, completely taken over by boiling rage and delievered a blow that forced him to fall to the ground. Just as I was about to connect my fist with his jaw, he grabbed my wrist again and kicked my legs, making me fall down.

_NO!_

The man laughed and wrapped his strong hands around my throat, cutting off my air supply. "Now, you can join your friends in hell."

"That's not happening buddy!" Manny shouted, whacking him with his trunk for the tenth time with a mighty grunt.

Our target chuckled coldly and took hold of a silver knife which glimmered in the sunlight coming from the living room windows. "Ooooh, yes it will."

I didn't have any time whatsoever to react as he plunged the weapon deep into my arm, forcing a loud blood-curling scream out of me. "_You mother—_"

The next couple of seconds were a complete shock. The man got beaten again by Manny, Diego, Shira and even Buck, making him drop his bloodied knife in the process. Just as the assailant was about to choke me to death again, he let out a horrified scream.

_Whaaaaat?!_

I looked over to my left and my eyes widened. Sonic had just enough strength in him to grab the knife and plunge it deep into the man's shoe. We both stared at each other, not taking our eyes of one another. I was pleasantly surprised, so much that I let a small appreciative smile crease my cheeks.

_Thank you, Sonic._

He responded by weakly giving me his signature thumbs up and smiling back. All the man could do was leave in defeat and disgust.

Thinking quickly, my panting increased its' speed as I pulled myself up to my feet and immediately grabbed the phone. "C'mon... C'mon..."

I jabbed the number '999' and waited anxiously for the woman on the other end to pick up. She needed to fast, because we didn't have much time. "Answer the phone, goddamnit!" I whimpered quietly, becoming more and more desperate to prevent Sonic from suffering the same fate as Elise, Maria and Cybil did.

"_Hello, how can I help you?_"

"H-Hi. Um, I have an emergency here. One of the residents in our apartment building has just been attacked and he's in really bad shape, please please _please!_ Can you send an _ambulance_?!" I begged, looking down at Sonic with crystal tears threatening to escape.

"_Of course I can. Where are you both?_"

"S-S-Silver Lake Apartments. Room 303. And it's on the third floor!" I replied, fighting hard to stop my eyes from welling up with emotion. "Please _hurry__!_"

"_Don't worry, it will arrive in five to ten minutes._"

"O-Okay..., thank you!"

After that, I hung up and instantly knelt down to Sonic's level. Manny and the Herd just stood a few feet back, watching the scene unfold. Peaches wanted to come forwards, but Ellie decided to hold her back for some reason. She mouthed: "Are you okay?"

_Why are you asking me if I'm okay?! WE HAVE SOMEONE IN PAIN HERE!_

I shook my head with a worried frown and focused my attention on Sonic. I was silently praying to the gods that he was going to make it, he had to! His fans can't lose him, Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Shadow can't lose him! I ... I can't lose him and ... I'm sure Elise wouldn't have wanted our blue friend to suffer the same fate as her either!

"S-Sonic," I began, panting with panic surging through me. "An ambulance is on its' way, they're going to get you to the hospital and everything's going to be alright... You're going to make it, my friends and I believe you will..."

Memories of my childhood and time watching him started to flash repeatedly in my head. I saw a seven year old girl. Me. Laughing with amusement at Sonic's constant teasing towards Eggman. I saw her wrapping her arms around her plush toys which looked just like Sonic and his team with a bright smile on her face and giggling at the 'Baldy McNose Hair' line.

"H-H-Hey kid," Sonic breathed, reaching out and entwining his gloved fingers with my bruised and battered ones. "Thanks..."

I clenched my eyes shut and reopened them to calm myself down, whilst giving the injured Sonic a small nod. Don't even do it, don't even do it. Get right back in there tear!

"A-A-Are you...?" My idol was about to ask, feeling moved by my concern for him. I knew exactly what he was going to ask, since ... he probably didn't hear me say it aloud on the phone which was understandable.

Panting, I squeezed his hand in an attempt to comfort him. "Yes..."

Hearing this, Sonic smiled whist breathing heavily. "I-I-If you got time to worry, t-t-then run... T-T-This place... It's dangerous... You need to... Hurry... G-Get out of here..."

_No... I can't bear to see you like this..._

All we could do was watch as Sonic's eyes slowly drifted down as he passed out. My head fell into my hands whilst I struggled desperately to hold the tears back. Even though I knew that there was a small chance, my guilt was now at 100% painful. I was broken. Stuck in a nightmare and unable to rescue anyone who happened to be in danger.

_Maybe ... Maybe this was someone's way of punishing me. Forcing me to watch so many of my loved one die... _

Poor Sonic ... He didn't deserve this. Elise, Maria and Cybil didn't deserve this, either. The only person I felt who did was me, and nobody else. "Megan, we're so sorry." Diego said, feeling saddened. "But at least we managed to save him."

Slowly lifting my head up, I nodded. "Yeah, you might be right..."

...

I awoke to the sound of a loud ringing, signalling that something was wrong. Pulling myself up to my feet, I sprinted towards the window and looked out. "Oh, thank god..." I sighed with relief.

An ambulance was leaving the car park with Sonic inside, flashing it's red and white lights as it sped away through the crowds of traffic. I suspected that Tails and the others heard what happened and were on their way to St. Jerome's Hospital too.

"Okay, time for me to go." I whispered as I reloaded my pistol and hunting rifle.

After sorting out my arm injury, I threw open my bedroom door, clutched my weapons tightly and lifted myself up into the hole's entrance. I knew that if my idol was okay, the man would come after him, intent on finishing him off for good. I wasn't going to let that happen, not after everything the Herd and I have been through so far! "Alright, I'm coming to get you Sonic. If the guy in the coat wants to have a fight, I'll f*cking give him one."

With a strong sense of determination, I didn't hesitate to crawl further into the hole.

_Sonic, please be okay, long enough for us to find you..._


	21. Chapter 21: Connection

**Chapter 21: Connection**

Truth be told, I didn't know what was going to occur once I came to. But I did know, that someone I hold close to my heart was in great danger.

Even though he was safe back in the real world, Sonic was still trapped in the Otherworlds with me and the Herd. I decided that as soon as we found him, we were going to team up and aid each other when we needed it. We would find my mother, get out of the nightmare and maybe move someplace far away from Ashfield and carry on with our lives.

_Maybe we could move to the countryside in Brahms... They have a nice view of the mountains there..._

It was too early to be thinking those thoughts anyway, so I shook them off as my eyes fluttered open and took in my surroundings once again. This time, I was lying on my back and staring up at the industrial ceiling which had huge lights, kinda suitable for an operating theatre. I knew that I was in St. Jerome's Hospital just by looking at them. As I pulled myself up to my feet, I was already confronted by the sound of a man's heavy breathing. A shadow eventually revealed itself on a white curtain; leaning forward slightly and working hard on something.

_You... What the?!_

I tried so hard not to show my disgust as I saw the man in the coat, the same man whom I fought just hours ago, performing surgery on a dead woman. This was the type of thing that kids shouldn't have to see, especially those my age and younger. If I was my seven-year old self, I would have screamed like mad and got out of there like a shot.

So I ran. Not making a sound. Not knowing that he had noticed me and was intent on following me in hot pursuit.

"Phew, at least I'm outta there." I muttered with relief.

Just as I was about to turn around, SMACK! I suddenly collided with someone hard which forced me to lose my balance and stumble back until I hit the wall. Blinking and shaking my head a couple of times, I struggled to get a good look at the person I bumped into. She did look familiar; almost like I've seen her not too long ago. Her blue-grey eyes widened with recognition as they locked with my emerald ones, yet I couldn't seem to recognise her. It was only when I saw the red hair, white dress, crown and orange high-heels I was bombarded by a series of memories flashing repeatedly.

_"Well, hello there. I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?"_

_"Megan... And you?"_

_..._

_"You should at least have someone looking after you, making sure that you're safe."_

_"The only person looking after me right now, is you."_

Whaaaaat?! The last time I saw her was when she ran off, only to wind up killed. I was even more confused as to the fact that she sported no signs of her injuries, no bruises, no gashes and no blood. I was speechless. Why was she here, shouldn't she be in heaven?!

"E-E-Elise?" I whispered. My jaw had dropped to the ground again, just like back on the streets of Silent Hill when Manny complimented me for the first time.

The Queen of Soleanna was definitely here in this hell hole that was the Otherworld version of St. Jerome's Hospital. She looked exactly how she did when we first met; the only differences were that a bright light was faintly shining around her...

_And a ... spiritual link between us? _

"M-Megan?" Elise responded, letting a huge smile crease her cheeks.

I didn't know what was happening right now. At first, I thought I was seeing things but as I stared at her more, I began to realise... I wasn't going mad.

My deceased friend seemed to notice that I was slightly frightened and placed her two hands gently on my shoulders. "It's alright ... It's just me..."

"W-What ... What are you doing here...?" I wanted to know. "Aren't you... Aren't you—"

Elise sighed sadly as her smile faded. "Yes... I am. The reason why I'm here is that... I've kept watch over you all this time and I'm so sorry those events occurred. I shouldn't have left you..."

I frowned. "It's not you. It's me who should be sorry."

"What do you mean? You didn't do anything wrong at all!" My friend pointed out.

Hearing this, I wanted to convince myself that she was right but at the same time, I felt that everyone should blame me for what happened. I mean...I failed to save three victims which nearly turned to four considering the events back in my apartment complex.

"Yes, I did. I failed to rescue you, Maria and Cybil. Sonic came _so close_ to joining that list and you guys didn't deserve it. I do." I said, lowering my head as I fought back more memories of the deaths. "It would probably be easier for all of us if the man just killed me right here..."

As soon as those words left my mouth, I felt a gloved finger tilt my chin until I locked eyes with Elise who was giving me a soft sympathetic look. "Don't think that way... Sonic and those prehistoric animals would hate to see you like this... Your mother would too..."

_Oh..._

Upon hearing her mention my mother, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. I focused too much on finding the Walter guy, that a new horrible thought entered my head: What if ... What if my mother's the next victim? Or is it... Me?

"Yeah, ... I guess you might be right..." I murmured, shakng my thoughts away. I still felt like I deserved what happened though, but regardless I would press on until I found out where he was keeping her and finish him off.

I was suddenly snapped back to reality by Elise asking me if I still had her knife. Hearing this, I couldn't help but let a small grin crease my cheeks. "Yep, right here."

After I handed it back to her, she gazed at her weapon for a while; as if she just encountered a long-lost friend.

_Oh yeah, just wait until we find Sonic... You'll be pretty damn pleased to see him, I bet..._

"Hey, um, what's this..." I began, gesturing by pointing to her and back to myself. "Link between us?"

Elise quickly lifted her head up as I spoke. "Oh, it's kind of a long story. I... Since I'm now a... spirit, I can link myself with people who I suspect are in danger. So I chose you after seeing everything that you've been through and I came back to help."

The only response she got was a confused frown from me, gesturing her to explain further.

She sighed. "Try to think of it as a psychic connection. Like someone from heaven is connected to someone from the living. Get what I mean?"

I slowly nodded and shrugged. "I suppose."

_Ah, this is gonna take some time to get used to... _

Just as I was about to say something, Buck and Flynn suddenly burst through the stairwell door and ran up to us.

"Hey kid! There you are!" The weasel shouted. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Relax dude, I'm fine." I replied, putting on a brave face. "What's up?"

"We just looked around the second floor patient wing, eventually found your idol's room and he's nowhere to be seen!" Flynn pointed out.

I couldn't help but grin as I nudged Elise with a knowing look. "That's the Sonic we know, girl. I guessed he's not gonna hang around too long up there."

My friend giggled. Apparently, she guessed that too.

"Who's that?" Buck asked, pointing at the queen. "Is she from a magical kingdom or something?"

Originally, I did plan on telling the weasel about Elise right here, but we had other important things to think about. "I'll tell you guys later. We gotta get up to the second floor and meet up with the others."

"Alright, let's go!" Flynn shouted, instantly running over to the door that he just came from, with his friend in tow.

Without hesitation, both Elise and I followed.

_Well, looks like we gotta search all across the damn hospital for Sonic... Man, he sure is the fastest thing alive..._


	22. Chapter 22: Fortunate Sleep

**Chapter 22: Fortunate Sleep**

Even though I was glad to see Elise again, I was... still slightly frightened. If I ever came across a spirit from the heavens, I would immediately step back until I realised that they were friendly. It was exactly the same with her. At least, I was slowly calming down and becoming more at ease as we talked to each other more.

_She's still your friend Megan, you remembered her and she's back to help you..._

"There they are!" Sid shouted, pointing at us as we ran up to them.

"Who's that with Megan...?" Louis wanted to know.

"I'm guessing she's some kind of queen?" Crash put in. "Or princess?"

"Guys!" Peaches shouted, managing to shut them up. "There's only one way to find out, come on!"

As soon as we all met up in the middle of the second floor patient wing, Manny gave Elise a suspicous look whilst Ellie nodded and smiled kindly at her. There wasn't that much to describe about the patient wing, other than there were tons of brown doors everywhere and that the walls and floor were a dull grey.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" I asked, sending a grin in their direction.

"Well, Buck and Flynn already told you our major problem, so basically all we gotta do is look through every single one of these rooms for your friend." Peaches answered, grinning back at me.

_Sonic's gotta be hiding somewhere, wanting to jump out at us... Bring it, mate._

Before I knew it, the Herd then decided to focus on Elise, seeing as they had no clue who she is. Just like when I first showed up, Manny stood in front of his family to protect them.

"Manny, there's no need for that." I muttered, placing my hands (which were still bruised and battered) on my hips. "My friend, Elise, here is not a threat. She may have a knife, but she won't harm you, promise."

One by one, Ellie and the rest of the Herd agreed with me. Manny looked like he desperately wanted to protest, but eventually gave in as he knew that we were right. "Fine..."

I looked over sideways at Elise to reassure her that everything was alright and she didn't seem to mind hanging out with us. Personally, it felt like we were one large gang right now which was going to get more larger as soon as Sonic was found.

"Okay, let's get going..." The mammoth said, after Elise greeted the Herd in a friendly manner.

We decided to start at the top and work our way down. The first room had just a simple bed and a window with a soft light shining through. To be honest, it kinda reminded me of 303 back in my apartment complex. At least we had a reason to come in there as I picked up some extra bullets for my hunting rifle.

The second room happened to be Sonic's patient room. There wasn't particularly anything interesting in there, other than a small table with surgery tools and another bed. The covers looked rough, but weren't thrown all over the place like I know how I used to leave my own bed.

Upon entering the next room, we got ambushed by two nurses. They looked a lot different than the bubble head nurses we encountered back in Brookhaven Hospital, taller and more covered up. They basically towered over us, even Manny! Both Elise and I quickly took them out, me firing my pistol whilst she got in close and stabbed them repeatedly with her knife. Although there was something pretty funny about their sounds, I'll admit.

_Heh, if I was the owner of this place, I would have named it St. Belch's Hospital._

After I finished the nurses off with a stomp to the head, we went into the fourth room. The atmosphere freaked me out a lot; we were confronted by a terrible sight at the very end. I slowly walked up to see what it was and quickly jumped back, letting out a scream. My friends and I were facing a gigantic head of someone whom I used to be on good terms with; Eileen Galvin.

"This is a nightmare, it can't be happening..." Elise murmured, clutching her knife tightly.

"I'm outta here!" Sid shouted, running out of the room.

"Yeah, see ya!" Both Crash and Eddie added, also sprinting out.

_Boys..._

I sighed as I locked eyes with the head's distorted ones. "I'm sorry, Eileen..."

"Did you know her?" Elise asked me, with concern lacing her tone.

"I ... I did." I answered, turning to face my friend. "I used to see her a lot in the streets whenever I came home from school. The last time I saw her, ... She was telling me about this dude she had a crush on, Henry Townshend. Afterwards..., I heard the news report saying that they died and ... Here I am now."

"Oh... I'm so sorry..." Elise responded after a moment of silence. "But look on the bright side, you have us! And Sonic will be here too, as soon as we find him."

_Gotta love the fastest thing alive!_

I smiled, hearing this. But then it faded as a new thought entered my head, reminding me of my social isolation. "Yeah ... I just don't want it to end badly, since I'm special needs and that people like me often get ignored and rejected 24/7."

"I'm sure Sonic will adore you..." My friend told me. "Knowing him, he'd probably walk up to you, tap you on the shoulder and give you a gentle smile. Just wait and see..."

My response was a simple grin and a thumbs up. We then exited the room, met up with the Herd and ventured into the fifth one.

"We're gonna continue looking, you guys stay here until we get back, okay?" Manny said, feeling concerned that the man might burst in and attack us at the spot.

Both Elise and I nodded, and watched as our friends continued on with their search. The room we were in was a bit similar to the first one; a window with a warm light faced us at the very end. But the only major difference was that in front of it was an x-ray board and a bed beside it. I slowly walked up to the board and took a good look at every single one of the pictures; they showed some mildly cracked bones in the spine and rib area. But what completely shocked me was that a nearby photo told me who they belonged to; Sonic the Hedgehog. My idol.

Such a horrific state. So many cuts and bruises. It was heartbreaking for me, and Elise.

I let out a heavy sigh as I took the picture of an unconscious Sonic's face lying on his living room floor. I couldn't help but stare at it for a long time, if only I managed to get in there earlier.

"Sonic..." Elise murmured, realising who it was.

"Yeah..." I answered. "I hope he's okay..."

Suddenly, a familiar noise echoed just outside the door. I didn't know it, but sparks of excitement were flooding through me as I went over to see what was happening. Elise was apparently just as excited as I was, somehow recognising the sound.

I threw open the door. Unfortunately, nothing was outside. But I was still suspicious as I walked cautiously forward to check. "Where the hell did you go...?"

As my eyes darted all over the place, I noticed that Elise had a small smile creasing her cheeks as she stared excitedly at something behind me. I was about to ask what was it that she was so happy about, when I felt a finger tap my shoulder. I slowly turned round to lock my emerald green eyes with matching ones belonging to someone whom I recognised instantly.

"Whaaaaaaaat?" I murmured, letting the corners of my lips turn up into a huge grin.

_It's really you..._


	23. Chapter 23: Sonic the Hedgehog

**Chapter 23: Sonic the Hedgehog**

Oh, my- Just ... WHAT?! Elise, the Herd and I went all over the hospital searching for this guy, and now he's standing front of me with a pleasantly surprised expression written on his face, like he wasn't expecting us to show up.

_What the hell...?!_

As pleased as I was to see him, I couldn't help but notice Sonic's injuries. Thankfully, he looked a lot better but still, there were a few bruises and cuts here and there. Other than that, Sonic remained the kind, cheerful and friendly hedgehog as always; like he was never attacked by the man in the coat.

"I'm kinda surprised to see you here..." He said, smiling gently at me.

Hearing this, I snapped back to reality and returned the gesture shyly. "Are you kidding me? We've been looking everywhere for you."

"We?" Sonic pondered, frowning in thought.

My shy smile widened as I gestured for my idol to look behind me. Elise calmly walked up to us, wearing her bright and excited grin. "Hi, Sonic. It's great to see you again."

"E-Elise...? I ... Aren't you ... Aren't you—?"

"Yes, I am. But I will get round to explaining that later." She replied, folding her arms behind her back in an elegant way. "How are you feeling?"

Sonic sighed. "I've been worse. If it wasn't for that kid and those animals, I'd still be lying there."

_Well, we didn't want you to die..._

"I never caught your name, did I?" He asked, turning to face me.

"No." I responded, offering my hand for him to shake. "Megan Ellis. From Room 302."

My idol grinned as he shook it. "You already know who I am, so I don't have to tell you..."

I couldn't help but giggle, hearing that. But however, I was thinking about what was going to happen to us next; if we have to go through more otherworlds or I could lead everyone to the hole and get out. I sure as hell wasn't going to think about the second option, because my mother was still in danger and I needed to rescue her. I supposed I could make a quick trip back to my apartment to pick up some things, but I wasn't going to leave the nightmare without my loved ones. I wasn't that type of person who only looked out for herself and I didn't want to be.

_Because, my family and friends always come first. And it's going to stay that way._

"Hey, do you two know if my friends are alright?" Sonic asked, with concern lacing his tone. "Tails? Knuckles? Amy? Shadow?"

"Unfortunately, not." Elise answered sadly. "I imagine they're here too, but safe and sound from ... All of this."

_Looks like we're going to be stuck in the otherworlds for a REALLY long time..._

"I knew it. This is a different reality." My idol muttered, after a moment of silence. "Kid, you know very well that I hate hospitals, but this nightmare version is freaky! Even those nurses who happen to make funny noises as I attack them."

I agreed with him 100%. The version we were stuck in was freaky, with all of those weird sights and everything. But that didn't stop me from brightening the mood by coming up with a humourous phrase which shocked me completely. "Welcome to St. Belch's Hospital."

_Wow.., I've never done that before! I guess, stepping out of your comfort zone can sometimes be a good thing..._

To be honest, I was expecting a confused response from both Sonic and Elise, but the one I got sent relief flooding through my chest. Huge grins spread across their faces, seconds before the latter burst out laughing.

"Yeah, very funny." Sonic scoffed, shaking his head with amusement.

"I try to be." I replied, smirking cheekily.

**M-S**

Already, I was beginning to develop a liking for this kid.

_I mean, c'mon! She sounds friendly, has a sense of humour, is able to hold her own against dangerous enemies and saved my life!_

Even so, I was quite worried about her safety. When I first saw her, I didn't know who she was and why she burst into my apartment with her friends. But as I watched them take down the man, I managed to get some idea and I wanted to help, despite being on the brink of death. As soon as the knife fell near me, I knew that it was my chance and I wasted no time in grabbing it.

_It was the least I could do..._

Once I laid my eyes on Elise, I was shocked. I remembered meeting up with her in my own adventure before the attack and she looked perfectly alright. But seeing her here, deceased, sent confusion running in my head.

Why was she here? Shouldn't she be in the afterlife?

I decided not to ask, due to hearing the kid's reply after I told her that I was surprised to see her.

"Hey, there he is!"

The three of us quickly spun round to see the prehistoric group of animals exit the door at the far end. Some of them looked relieved, whilst the others wore tired grins which told me that they spent a rather long time looking for me.

_Man, I feel bad for them. But still, I hate hospitals!_

"Hey kid, name's Diego." The male smilodon said, nodding with a small smile. "And this is my wife, Shira."

The female smilodon also nodded in acknowledgement. "Hi there."

One by one, the animals began introducing themselves and I greeted them with my usual cheery smile and thumbs-up. They seemed quite nice, just a little scared about the nightmare they were trapped in. Speaking of, I couldn't help but notice that Elise's young friend seemed frightened of the freaky worlds too.

_There has to be something I can do to make her feel better..._

"Hey," She began, after tapping me on the shoulder. "We're going to continue on in finding a way out. Would you ... like to come? We're happy to help you out, it's not a problem."

I didn't hesitate in answering. If Elise, her friend and the animals could assist me in escaping from these worlds, then definitely. Besides, I love making new friends and they all seemed pretty nice! "Yep, I'm in!"

Hearing this, the brunette teen grinned at me, which prompted me to return the gesture. "Alright, then. Cool."

And so, we began making our way down to the first floor. I knew that I was about to go on another journey with a group of new friends; a young girl, a princess (whom I already knew) and a large team of animals.

_Let's do this. Adventure, here I come!_


	24. Chapter 24: Ever Downward

**Chapter 24: Ever Downward**

_(A few minutes later, in Room 302 of Silver Lake Apartments...)_

**S-M**

The good thing was that we finally found Sonic, but the unfortunate thing was that I had to go back to my apartment for a while. I wasn't planning to leave my friends behind in the nightmare, even if meant getting out alive. There's no way I would do such a thing.

_Besides, I told them that I wouldn't take too long..._

Once I came to, I immediately pulled myself up to my feet and went over to pick up my hunting rifle and some extra bullets, along with a sharp knife, just for when I ran out of ammo whilst attacking enemies. Afterwards, I took in my surroundings and began to realise that the entire place was slowly beginning to transform; the walls strangely changed from a pure white to a faint dark red as did the sofa, chairs and kitchen. I didn't know what caused all of this to happen, but I was going to find out. Setting my sights on several sheets of bloodied paper and a simple key, I bent down to their level and scanned the writing; wanting to find out the meaning of the freaky worlds Sonic told us about.

But what I read, sent more questions running around, just begging to be answered:

"_You've seen that world as well..._  
_That horrible nightmare._  
_But if you get sucked into it, it's not just a nightmare. Don't get lost in_  
_there. If you get pulled in, you'll be killed._  
_But there's still hope._  
_Maybe this "small key" will guide you._  
_If you've seen the door with the placard set in it, look on the other side of_  
_the door._  
_Then keep going down. To the deepest part of him._  
_And look for the ultimate Truth._

_July 20 -Joseph_"

Neatly folding the first piece up, I placed both items inside my backpack and focused on the next one. "I have seen those worlds, mate. But ... I don't see how a small key can guide us. Mind giving me a few more details?"

"_I've found two mysterious and powerful artifacts that seem to be very effective_  
_for evading the ghost-victims:_  
_the Holy Candle and the Saint Medallion._  
_Not only are they effective against the ghost-victims in the Otherworld, they_  
_also seem to prevent them from invading my room. Just light the candle near_  
_where they're coming in and its holy power is activated._  
_The Saint Medallion seems to repel unholy energy when it's worn (equipped)._  
_I'm starting to gain some hope._

_July 25_"

I frowned in thought as I placed the sheet in my backpack with the other items, and began reading the final one. "Okay..."

"_No. 1...Ten heart..._  
_No. 2...Ten..._  
_No. 3...Ten hearts..._  
_No. 4...Ten hearts - Steve Garl..._  
_No. 5...Ten..._  
_No. 6...Ten heart..._  
_No. 7...Ten hearts - Billy Locane_  
_No. 8...Ten hearts - Miriam Locane_  
_No. 9...Ten hearts..._  
_No. 10...Ten..._  
_No. 11...Assumption - Walter Sullivan_  
_No. 12...Void..._  
_No. 13...Darkness..._  
_No. 14...Gloom..._  
_No. 15...Despair - Joseph Schreiber_  
_No. 16...Temptation - Cynthia Velasquez_  
_No. 17...Source - Jasper Gein_  
_No. 18...Watchfulness - Andrew DeSalvo_  
_No. 19...Chaos - Richard Braintree_  
_No. 20...Mother - Eileen Galvin_  
_No. 21...Wisdom - Henry Townshend_

_August 7_"

This time, I didn't say a word. My jaw dropped to the ground again. Both Eileen and Henry were part of some strange death club?! And why did the name 'Walter Sullivan' send chills crawling down my spine?

I sighed heavily as I repeated the same process as before. "I can't believe this..."

Pulling myself up to my feet, I walked over to the small hole and bent down, intent on seeing if anything was happening in Sonic's room. I wasn't in for the sight that was about to greet me, that's for sure.

Sitting on Sonic's bed, was a regular sized plush of Silent Hill's Amusement Park mascot, Robbie the Rabbit. Truth be told, I had no idea that it was there, maybe my idol has been to the town and bought it, I don't know. Just as I was about to turn away, the most frightening thing ever happened.

_What?!_

As if it had come to life, the toy slowly began to lift it's head up almost like how a snail moves on the ground, and turned to stare in my direction. It then drew its' arm up, pointing a bloodied pink finger directly at me, smiling as it had achieved something positive. It only took _one _second for the realisation to hit me.

I wanted to scream, yell, shout and even cry. But nothing came. My body began shaking in fright as I stared at it in complete silence, letting the news sink in.

_The next victim ... Was ... Me._

"No..." I eventually managed to whisper, not realising that I was now breathing heavily with panic taking me over.

Elise, Maria and Cybil's murderer was coming for me now. I suspected that he still was going for Sonic, considering what happened back in Room 303, but ...

What if ... My mother's next after me...? Or is she ... Already—?

Shaking my thoughts away, I immediately pulled myself up, grabbed my backpack and weapons, threw open my bedroom door and crawled into the hole.

* * *

_(Back in the Otherworld version of St. Jerome's Hospital...)_

**M-E**

"So, how do you and kiddo know each other?" Sonic asked, grinning at me and the Herd.

"Well, it's kind of a long story." I began, returning the gesture. "I basically met Megan, took a walk with her and strangely ended up in a burning city with lots of enemies around. My friend gave me my knife and we both explored for a while, telling each other about our lives. But unfortunately, I decided to look for more supplies by myself and ... The man found me."

My smile faded as I finished my sentence. I still felt guilty about leaving my young friend behind and losing my life, so much that I wanted to do everything I possibly could to get a chance to redeem myself.

Even though, I was certain that Megan would forgive me anyway if I apologised.

_I'm hoping she will, because she's such a kind girl... And she's willing to assist anyone in a threatening situation..._

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Elise." Sonic murmured after a moment of silence. "But hey, look on the bright side, you're still here and you can hang out with her!"

Hearing this, I couldn't help but giggle. "I suppose you're right about that."

"Hey kids, Megan's back!" Manny suddenly shouted, interrupting our conversation. "Come on!"

Sonic looked at me in shock, which I responded by shrugging. We weren't children, we were adults now. My blue friend is 24 and I'm two years older than him. But still...

_There were two children in our group; one whom I wanted to look after..._

A few seconds later, Shira and Diego came out of the room with a panicked, scared and frightened Megan. Both Sonic and I instantly ran up to them, letting our concern take us over.

"Are you okay...?" The female smilodon asked.

My young friend was trying so hard to calm her breathing. "No ... I just found out who the next two victims are..."

_Oh no..._

I grabbed Megan's shoulders and looked her right in the eyes, desperately wanting to find out what caused her to feel down. Of course, she was quite shy when we first met, but she was so cheery and happy whilst we began developing our bond. Something was wrong, and I was going to fix it. "Who are they...?"

The answer I got, shocked us all completely. "Me ... And ... My mum..."

_NO! _

I turned to look at Sonic. He didn't particularly understand what was occurring, but he knew what we had to do. A child and her mother were in grave danger and it was up to us to prevent the worst; we had to protect Megan until she was reunited with her.

"Okay ... Don't worry ... Just stick together with us and we'll make sure the man won't get you. If it's one on one, you know what to do, right?" I asked.

"Yes," The young girl responded, putting on a brave face. "Fight him off until I'm safe. I know what to do..."

_That's fine, then._

I gave her shoulders an affectionate squeeze and Sonic punched Megan gently on the shoulder, brightening the mood and making her giggle.

"Hey Megan, try not to worry so much about the man. Like your friend said, you'll be safer if you stick with us." Manny said, with concern lacing his tone. "Shall we get going?"

"Alright..."

And just like that, we all got into our group and began making our way out of the hospital. The exit unfortunately happened to be locked but with Megan's small key, we managed to escape. We found ourselves descending a spiral staircase in a grey foggy atmosphere with a door at the very end.

I didn't know where we were going next, but I hoped that we would enter a place which was safe and would keep my friends from harm.

_Okay, let's see what's down here..._


	25. Chapter 25: Ashfield Subway Station

**Chapter 25: Ashfield Subway Station**

After going through the door, we were confronted by industrial, grey and lifeless surroundings. Due to having lived in Soleanna for the majority of my life, I was certainly startled as I had never seen a place look this terrible.

_Well, Eggman's base in White Acropolis was unsettling, but still..._

I kept a close eye on Megan as we made our way across the steel floors to another door which waited for us. At first, my friends pondered over what we should do, whether to go through the door and face the horrors ahead of us, or just turn around and head back. Meanwhile, I located a set of saint medallions sitting on a nearby shelf, white lights gleaming as if to show their presence.

"Hey," I murmured, interrupting the conversation. "I just saw something that can help us, come on."

They walked over to me, indicating that they were interested in what I had to offer. Manny, Sid, Diego and the possums frowned in thought as Megan, Sonic and Peaches all nodded for me to explain.

"What is it, Elise?" The teenage mammoth asked.

I gave them an appreciative smile. "Well, I found these saint medallions here. From what I heard, these can help avoid falling under a victim ghost's pain aura and heal a set of hauntings in a particular location. There's not very many right now, but I suggest we all wear one, just in case."

After those words left my mouth, I handed Megan and Sonic one each, which they both put around their necks. I was about to offer the Herd as well but shockingly, they all declined the saint medallions.

"No thanks," Manny said, nodding in acknowledgement. "We'll be fine."

"We can handle ourselves alright against those things!" Granny put in, enthusiastically.

"Thank you." Ellie added, smiling gratefully. "But, I think we'll be okay."

_Alright, then..._

Suddenly, a click echoed, making us turn round to face the door. Megan stood there, holding the same key she used to unlock the hopsital's exit earlier. Apparently she was able to use it for that one too.

"Nice one, kiddo." Sonic said, giving her a thumbs up.

My young friend grinned as she returned the gesture. "Thanks."

She then turned the knob and one by one, we entered the next room. Darkness swept over the hallway, leading to the main area of an incredibly large subway station. Other than a low hum coming from below, there was just a silence which set the atmosphere and sent icy chills crawling down our spines.

_At least, Megan has a source of light to guide us through here..._

"I don't like this," The sloth shuddered, as we continued walking. "Why can't we be back home?!"

"Relax, Sid." Diego said, reassuring him. "We'll be out of here, soon."

Meanwhile, Sonic was inspecting a far away area where the escalator stood with Megan, Peaches and Louis in tow. I watched from a distance, keeping a firm grip on my knife, in case if the man happened to be in the area too.

_I have to protect my friends... Especially that young and innocent girl..._

As I scanned the room, I located a different weapon waiting for me on the grey-white floor, a loaded revolver. A small smile creased my cheeks as I went over to pick it up. Besides the knife Megan gave me, this was the only other weapon I used. When I met up with Sonic back in Soleanna, we ventured across the city only to find ourselves in a particular town which brought back horrible memories. To tell the truth, I couldn't remember where my last one went. But at least, I now have a new firearm.

"Ten or eleven bullets will do," I murmured. "I suppose there will be more to find."

**E-S**

I felt really uneasy being in dark locations, such as this.

To be honest, I didn't even know why I ended up here. Maybe the rumours about the South Ashfield Heights apartments were actually true, not nonsense like I first thought of it.

_Mate, you really need to get used to this type of thing..._

I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to my friends; Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow. Even though I knew they were okay, I pondered over what they were doing right now. Were they still at the hospital? Or were they suddenly knocked out and trapped here with us? Regardless, I knew that my friends could handle themselves in a threatening situation.

"Hey Louis! Megan!" Peaches shouted, snapping me back to reality. "Come and look at this!"

Letting my instincts take over, I found myself walking to where the kid, mammoth and molehog were. "What is it?"

"We just found a new weapon." She replied, brightly. "Nothing too serious."

_That's good then. Elise and kiddo need all of the weapons they can get..._

"It looks like some kind of sword." Louis murmured, as Elise's young friend picked it up. "I don't know exactly what the name means, but still..."

A small smile creased my cheeks as I watched them examine it patiently. It was almost like ... an awesome moment where kids can be kids, not in a dark and freaky place such as these worlds we were trapped in.

"Hey guys!" Crash called out. "We should probably check out the turnstiles, we might find something there too!"

_Ah, I wouldn't really head there... But, we'll do it anyways..._

The kid gave me a look as if to say she thought it was a bad idea too. We both kinda suspected that something was going to jump out and scare us when we eventually went there, one of those freaky monsters or a victim ghost. After a moment of silence, I gave my signature thumbs up and a wink to reassure her that it was gonna be fine.

"Okay," She murmured, smiling back at me.

We then all went down to the central area to join up with Elise, Peaches and the rest of the gang. I couldn't help but chuckle when I noticed that she had a new weapon of her own; the same one she used during her adventure with me, back when I first moved in.

"I see you found your gun." I said. "Nice one."

Hearing this, Elise quickly took a look at her revolver before answering. "Well, at least I don't have to get in close to attack enemies now."

Soon afterwards, Manny came up and asked us if we were ready to get going. We all responded with the same answer, fully prepared for anything that was waiting for us ahead.

"Well then, let's move." The mammoth replied, setting off towards the turnstiles with us in tow.

_Okay then, hopefully this is gonna turn out good..._


	26. Chapter 26: Cynthia Velasquez

**Chapter 26: Cynthia Velasquez**

_(At the turnstiles...)_

**S-M**

I'm not going to lie, as soon as we arrived at our planned destination, I couldn't help but step closer to Sonic. I don't know why I did, but he actually didn't seem to mind; just locked his eyes with mine and gave a small smile of reassurance.

_Stop being paranoid, Megan. If you have time to worry, then run..._

"Hang on," Granny said, stopping us in our tracks. "That looks like hair to me."

We all followed the elderly sloth's stick which pointed down to a trail of recently cut hair; donning a pitch black colour. This triggered a flashback to something that I saw way way earlier, before this adventure started. I let out a yelp of shock as I almost lost my balance, stumbling backwards until someone caught me by the shoulders with a firm and gentle grip.

"Whoa, whoa!" Sonic murmured, pulling me back up to normal. "You okay there?"

"I-I-I'm not sure," I stammered, blinking and shaking my head a couple of times. "But thanks for um, helping me back up."

The only response was that same smile from before and that was enough to calm me down. Elise saw what happened and gave me a look which clearly said: "I told you he'd like you."

As we followed the trail of hair, the turnstiles for the 'Lynch Street Line' came into view and the sight that we were greeted with, stopped us in our tracks. A woman lay face-down on the grey floor, lifeless, almost as she had just been in a brutal fight and lost.

But, that wasn't it.

"Uh," Peaches shuddered, glancing at me and Louis in suspicion. "Who is that?"

"I don't know who she is, sweetheart." Ellie replied, feeling just as concerned as the rest of us were. "All we can do is find out."

_I hate to get on your bad side, but that's not a good idea..._

Despite knowing that we were all in great danger, I cautiously walked ahead of everyone else as I went to investigate. Shockingly, the woman had apparently heard my footsteps and lifted herself up, acknowledging our presence.

_Oh no..._

She began crawling THROUGH the turnstiles as if they weren't even there, glowering at us dangerously. I immediately grabbed my pistol and aimed it at her, panting quickly as I knew exactly what she was planning to do.

No answer. The woman just inched herself closer and closer to us, moaning and crying out with torment. Elise seemed to recognise these noises instantly and grabbed her revolver. "Megan, get back! That's a ghost!"

_Victim Ghosts ... 21 murders ... Wait, was this Cynthia Velasquez?!_

I had no idea that my saint medallion was humming like crazy, signalling that it was about to break. As soon as it cracked, that was all it took for a powerful headache to overwhelm me. I desperately fought the pain off as Elise and I both began firing our guns at the floating Cynthia. Apparently the ghost was able to control her hair, as it formed a tight circle around my small frame, trapping me inside. I did everything that I could think of in order to break free, whacking her with my rifle and fighting her physically.

Sonic, Elise and the Herd were shouting and yelling on how they were going to help me and to be honest, I really wanted to scream "Guys, you got a kid in danger here!" to shut them up. Unfortunately, Cynthia saw this as the perfect opportunity to dive right in.

I screamed hysterically in agony as she repeatedly raked her fingers roughly across my shirt, tearing the fabric apart and cutting deep into my chest, creating an intensely painful wound. My vision instantly blurred until it began to fade into darkness, making me realise that I could die right here.

"_Megan_!"

"_Kiddo_!"

Thank god Sonic, Elise, Manny and Diego jumped in, because I certainly would have lost my life if they didn't. The blue hedgehog grunted as he performed a series of homing attacks on the ghost whilst the mammoth whacked her with his trunk, delivering severe blows. I grimaced as I clutched my chest wound with my left hand, firing my gun several more times with my right one.

"You okay, Megan?!" Peaches cried.

"Yeah, I'm okay!" I gasped, as I continued firing. "Just stay back!"

_Actually, I wasn't._

My panting then turned to heavy breathing as the fight went on. I sprinted up to Cynthia and smacked her hard in the face with my pistol, sending her to the ground. Just as I was about to pin the sword into her, she did something completely unexpected; sliding away and dodging my incoming attack.

"ARGH!" I screamed, running after her with Sonic and Diego in tow.

"GET BACK HERE!" My idol yelled, feeling just as frustrated as I was.

Soon Cynthia rose from the ground, growling to indicate that she wasn't happy with us at all. Elise and the others quickly joined us as the smilodon swiped his claws at the ghost repeatedly with Sonic performing another three homing attacks.

_Son of a b*tch, JUST GO DOWN!_

Five bullets whizzed past me, hitting the ghost in the torso. She stumbled backwards, struggling not to fall to the floor again. I turned my head round to see Elise firing her revolver at Cynthia and gave her a weak nod of thanks.

"No time for compliments now!" Eddie shouted, apparently noticing what I just did. "Save them for later!"

"That's what I'm planning to do!" I yelled, trying not to succumb to my severe chest injury.

_Megan, don't fall down, don't fall down, don't fall down!_

We were soon snapped back to reality by Sonic screaming in pain as Cynthia was now injuring him, nearly putting him in the same state as me.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" I roared, sprinting in to prevent the worse from happening. I pistol-whipped the ghost hard, forcing her to release her grip and sending her to the ground in an instant. This time she just stayed there, as if she knew that we were too powerful for her. I grabbed the sword and finally managed to pin it in.

After all of that, there was just silence.

My vision suddenly got worse by causing my surroundings to fade into black.

I began staggering back towards the turnstiles as I wanted to continue on with looking around. My friends thought that was a bad idea as they were trying desperately to stop me in my tracks.

"Megan, slow down!" Ellie said worriedly. "We need to get you somewhere safe!"

"Ellie's right!" Manny added. "Both you and your friend need patching up!"

Sonic didn't look as bad as me, but the mammoth was right. He needed some help too with his mildly painful wound, as he stumbled to and fro in an effort to keep his balance. "Gotta ... Stay up ..."

Unfortunately before I could reply, my legs gave way and I collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud, falling unconscious.

_No, I can't give up here! ... At least my friends are alright... _


	27. Chapter 27: Exit Wounds

**Chapter 27: Exit Wounds**

_(Meanwhile, in the real version of St. Jerome's Hospital...)_

**M-T**

As soon as the ambulance came into the car park, we knew that something was wrong. But what shocked us the most was when the doctors came out with a beaten, cut and heavily injured Sonic.

_We had no idea that he was attacked! If only I went back up to check on him..._

My big brother didn't even deserve it. Why would someone do such a thing?! We all started panicking and asking what happened to him as they placed Sonic in the ambulance. The answer we got was enough:

"_The girl from 302 saved his life and called us up. For a kid her age, that was a pretty brave thing to do._"

Upon hearing that, Amy collasped to the ground, letting relief take her over whilst I bent down to help her. Even though we all knew he could handle himself in a fight, we were relieved that Sonic was still alive.

"_We're coming too._" Knuckles had said. "_Sonic's our buddy and we want to be there when he eventually wakes up._"_  
_

And so we entered the ambulance and it drove off. Now here we were, standing in the hospital room of the one hedgehog who changed our lives for the better. Shadow had his arms folded as he leant against a wall whilst Knuckles paced around, trying not let his slowly boiling anger at Sonic's attacker lash out. Both Amy and I sat in two separate chairs, pondering over who the saviour was.

"As soon as we find out who the girl is and thank her, we all should invite her to hang out. What do you think, Tails?" The pink hedgehog suggested, smiling sadly.

"That's a great idea, Amy." I replied, returning the gesture. "She'd probably be up for it."

_Who knows? She could be one of his fans or a friend..._

Just then, a thought suddenly flashed in my mind; I remembered hearing rumours involving the South Ashfield Heights apartments and a man named 'Walter Sullivan'. After hearing the news about the deaths of three victims including Elise, I couldn't help but ask myself ... Is the murderer ... Walter?

At first, I dismissed that thought as nonsense due to him being dead, but something continued to linger inside me. "This is going to sound absolutely crazy, but I think I got an idea on who attacked Sonic."

Hearing this, my three friends immediately looked in my direction with interest. "That's Great," Knuckles said, grinning at me. "Tell us!"

"Okay, well, you remember hearing those rumours about Walter Sullivan and how we all dismissed them?" I began, carefully choosing my words. The answer I got were three nods. "We can't do that anymore."

_Nice going, Tails. They're gonna think you're going crazy._

"Hang on a minute," Amy murmured. "What do you mean?"

I sighed, blinking a couple of times. "I mean that potentially ... Walter's come back as a ghost and murdered Elise and the other two victims. He attacked Sonic, but the girl from Room 302 saved his life. I don't believe that the dead can haunt us, but ... That's what I think."

To be honest, I was expecting my friends to tell me that what I just said was nonsense and someone else could be the culprit. But instead, the response I got both relieved and surprised me.

"I'm with you Tails," Knuckles said. "Even though I'm not sure about the dead living among us, there could be a slight chance that you're right. We should probably find out."

One by one, the other two agreed and I rose from my seat, looking sadly at my big brother who was lying in the hospital bed, bruised and battered. "Okay. I'm gonna quickly head outside for some fresh air, you wanna come?"

"Sure," Both Knuckles and Shadow responded, walking towards the door.

"Actually I'm gonna stay here for a while." Amy replied. "You guys go ahead."

**T-A**

"Alright, we'll be back in a minute." Tails said, giving me a small smile. "See you later."

"Bye guys," I replied, returning the gesture as I watched the boys leave.

As soon as the door closed, I pulled myself up to my feet and walked over to Sonic's bed, never taking my eyes of him. It broke my heart into pieces, seeing him like this. He didn't deserve it, at all. Elise and the other two didn't either.

_Why is this happening...?_

"Sonic," I murmured, shaking my thoughts and gripping his gloved hand tightly. "I know that you just see me as a friend, but ..." I paused for a moment, squeezing my eyes shut and reopening them. "I'll always love you."

Taking a deep breath, I leaned down and gently pressed my lips to his forehead, just for a moment and letting the gesture calm me. I then pulled away, desperately trying to fight back any incoming tears. "So, keep fighting in the way you do best. And come back to us..."

_I believe that you can do it... _

Afterwards, I stayed there for a little longer; gazing down at the hedgehog I loved so much. I thought back to when we first met, I was looking for him since my destiny cards told me that I would meet someone who would sweep me of my feet. And he did, not physically though. Ever since then, I always remained beside Sonic, helping him, Tails, Cream and the others whenever they needed it. But deep down, I hoped that maybe one day ... Sonic would start to return my affections...

_And I think he probably has..._

"Excuse me? Miss Amy?"

Snapping back to reality, I whirled round to face the nurse who guided me and my friends to Sonic's room. "Yes?" I sighed, feeling slightly irritated.

"I apologise for disturbing you," She began. "But visiting hours are over. You can come back later, though."

_Brilliant!_

"Okay," I responded, nodding in acknowledgement. "Thanks a lot."

Hearing this, the nurse gave me a small smile and went back down to the main floor whilst I quickly checked the time; 19:45 pm. It was getting pretty late and I assumed that the party we were all missing was already in full swing.

_Oh well..._

Taking one last look at the love of my life, I turned round and exited the hospital room.

* * *

_(Back in the Otherworld version of Ashfield Subway Station...)_

**A-M**

To be honest, I actually thought I was dead due to how long I was unconscious for. I hoped that my friends were in good shape, even though I had a slight feeling that we were going to encounter the next couple of ghosts as we progressed, since Cynthia was the one who tried to murder us moments ago.

_This is not going to end well, at all..._

I slowly let my eyes flutter open and I was immediately greeted with the smiling face of the blue hedgehog who I looked up to since I was just a little kid. "Sup, mate?"

Sonic snickered with an amused smirk. "I was beginning to think you'd never wake up."

Pulling myself up into a sitting position, I took in my surroundings and discovered that we were in the nearest and safest place my friends could find; the toilets. "Where's Elise and the others?"

"Oh, they're just outside waiting for us." My idol answered, locking his emerald eyes with my matching ones. "You okay?"

I looked down at my chest injury to see that it was now completely bandaged, although the white fabric was stained with a dark red from underneath my torn shirt. I grimaced at the sight of the bloodstains but steeled myself together. "I've been worse. You?"

_Elise must have bandaged my wound up - Cheers, girl!_

My idol sighed, checking his own injury. "Eh, it's not too bad. I suppose I won't have to wait too long for it to heal, but I'll live. No worries!"

"That's good." I replied, nodding to prove my point. "As long as we're all still breathing, then nothing can take us down."

Sonic grinned once those words left my mouth. "You're definitely right there, kiddo."

_Looks like we're getting along great! Although ... I hope I won't mess up..._

There was a brief moment of silence before a thought suddenly came into Sonic's mind. "Hey," He began, never taking his eyes of mine. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself whilst we're here?"

At first, I was quite surprised. I mean ... We've only met a couple of hours ago and didn't get that much time to talk to each other. I was planning to wait for a while until this sort of thing occurred and I never went through it with someone other than Elise and the Herd. Maybe I should tell Sonic about my life?

_And my mother's disappearance..._

"Well, there's not much to say." I murmured. "I lived in Room 302 of Silver Lake Apartments my entire life and ... You already know that I'm a fan of yours and I'm a fan of Manny and the Herd so, that's the basic part."

My idol seemed very interested and urged me to continue. I understood that Sonic loved making new friends and that was pleasant, but then came the part where I had to bring in my troubled life. "But, my past wasn't really that great."

Hearing this, Sonic's smile faded with concern. "Oh, well if you don't want to talk about it then that's fine. But, we can help you out if you'd like."

"O-Okay," I stammered, giving him a small appreciative smile. "T-The only thing I'm going to say about it is that ... I ... have this condition which makes me different than everyone else and ... It's made things really tough."

As soon as I said that, I waited anxiously for a negative response. Just like with Elise all the way back in Crisis City, I was expecting Sonic to point at and tease me.

_But, he didn't do anything of that..._

"Man ..." My idol murmured, sympathetically. "I'm so sorry..."

I just remained in silence, letting relief overwhelm me. I was suddenly snapped back to reality by the blue hedgehog's hand settling on my shoulder, prompting me to jump out of my skin. "H-Hey...!"

"Kiddo, I feel bad about what's happened to you. But you have us now and we're not gonna leave ya! You can always be free when I'm around!" Sonic said, brightening the mood like he always does.

I giggled as he helped me up to my feet. He was right, whenever someone was with him, they would have nothing to worry about and be free at the same time.

Soon, we decided that we would have to head back out and join up with the others as they were waiting. As we exited the bathrooms, I made up my mind to wait a little later before I would tell Sonic about the reason why I was in the Otherworlds.

_And, I knew that he would be in to help..._


	28. Chapter 28: Lynch Street Line

**Chapter 28: Lynch Street Line**

After meeting up with Elise, Manny and the others, we went through the turnstiles and made our way down the staircase. Thankfully, Cynthia was still pinned down so at least we wouldn't have a problem with her anymore.

_But ... I couldn't shake the feeling that she isn't the only one..._

Unfortunately, we were confronted by a group of sniffer dogs and double-heads as we came in. Considering the subway station had both wide and narrow spaces, I initially thought of taking them out right there. But I knew it was a bad idea, because they would most likely maul me to death as soon as I was on the ground.

I shook those thoughts away once we descended the next staircase onto the Lynch Street Line platform. I quickly turned on my flashlight, whilst repeatedly telling myself to take it easy as I joined Peaches and Louis in exploring. The adults went to look further down the platform, some even going into the train.

"What if there are monsters inside that train...?" Louis whispered in fright. "I don't want to see you guys killed by a closer or even worse, the man in the coat..."

Hearing this, Peaches gingerly stroked his fur with her trunk. "I don't want to see you die either..."

I was immediately bombarded by flashbacks of Elise, Maria and Cybil's deaths, along with Sonic's attack. I clenched my eyes shut, trying so hard not to show signs of my painful guilt. I sure as hell wasn't going to let my friends suffer the same fate, especially after everything that's happened so far.

"_I'll be right back..._"

"_Let's just get out of here..._"

"_Don't worry though, I'll say Hi to Elise for you..._"

"_I-I-If you got time to worry, t-t-then run... T-T-This place... It's dangerous... You need to... Hurry... G-Get out of here..._"

I'll admit, it was slowly getting more and more difficult to hold my emotions in. One part of me was desperately screaming at me to let it all out, but I listened to the other part which told me to keep them in and stay strong throughout.

"Get it together." I scolded myself quietly, putting on a facade of calmness which told everyone that I was a tough and jaded kid. "Get it together."

_Now's not the time..._

As I scanned the area, I found myself wandering inside the nearest train car which welcomed me with its' bright lights. Even though they were further down, Sonic, Elise, Manny and the others were in the same train as I was.

"Hey Megan," Peaches said, walking up to me as we continued searching. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I answered, giving her a quick thumbs up. "It's all good."

There was a small moment of silence before my teenage mammoth friend spoke up. "Y'know? That Sonic guy you and Elise like, he seems really nice."

_Damn right he is!_

"Did you tell him about your mother?" She asked, locking her eyes with mine. "If you haven't yet, then you really should."

"I am planning to, Peaches." I responded. "I'm just going to wait until the time is right, that's all."

Louis had apparently heard our conversation and decided to step in too. "That's perfectly fine. Until you find her, we'll look after you... Don't worry..."

"Thanks guys." I said, turning my lips upwards in a small smile. "I appreciate it..."

_I'm glad that you all are here..._

**M-S**

Since I came out of the bathrooms with kiddo, I couldn't help but feel that there was something missing. I had no idea to why she was in these freaky worlds with the Herd, wether it was she wanted to find me or they just ended up trapped here, I don't know.

_There's __probably something bothering her... Poor girl...__  
_

"Hey Elise!" I called out. "Mind if I could talk to you for a sec?"

As soon as those words left my mouth, the sound of heels clicking at a fast pace echoed and my friend jogged up to me with a acknowledging smile. "Sure, Sonic. What's troubling you?"

I returned the gesture and began to explain my concern for the young girl. "It's not very serious, but ... I'm getting quite worried about your friend." I then gave a small sigh. "I hope she's okay..."

Hearing this, Elise's smile faded as she placed her hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure Megan's fine. But she can be really shy and quiet so ..., if you'd like to, you could do what you do best; show her how wonderful your life is and that everyone can follow you."

_Y'know ... That actually sounds good._

I nodded, indicating that I thought her idea was alright. "Besides," She continued. "You've changed so many lives, including mine. If you can do that, then you'll have no worries doing the same with Megan."

After she said this, I grinned at her and gave my signature thumbs up. "I suppose you're right. I mean ... We've probably changed her life already since we're her idols. Although, thanks Elise."

The response I received from my friend was a much wider smile. "You're welcome, Sonic."

Just as I was about to reply, a trio of shouts and yells made us jump out of our fur/skin, coming from outside the train and up a nearby staircase. "What's going on up there?!" Manny shouted, having heard the commotion. "You guys okay?!"

"We're fine, Dad!" Peaches shouted back. "We just found some extra supplies and a new weapon, that's all!"

_At least the younger ones weren't arguing..._

**S-M**

I am not going to lie, as soon as I saw the new weapon, I immediately threw my fists up in the air with delight. It happened to be an already loaded shotgun and I absolutely love seeing it in action; wether it was movies, video games or TV shows.

_And now I have one of my own..._

"YEEEESS!" I cheered, just after throwing my fists up. "We get the almighty boom-stick!"

Hearing this, both Peaches and Louis couldn't help but burst out laughing. Apparently they thought what I just said was hilarious, and that was perfectly fine. I went down to pick up the firearm and damn, it was heavy! Probably a lot heavier that my hunting rifle, but oh well...

"Oh man," I sighed, smirking evilly. "I am so, killing the first monster we run into with this thing!"

_It's not like I'm a serial killer, though. I just love the shotgun! _

"C'mon Megan," My teenage mammoth friend chuckled, gesturing for me and Louis to follow her. "Let's head back down."

I nodded and joined my two friends on the way back to the platform. Sonic was the first one to appear as Peaches and Louis finished descending. I locked eyes with him, took my right leg back and held my new firearm in a fighting stance with a mischievous smirk creasing my cheeks. "Like what you see, mate?"

The only answer I got out of Sonic was him giving me a thumbs up and snickering. "You sure do make me laugh."

_Well, I try to._

Eventually, I met up with my friends and we all continued on. I walked with my idol and Elise with Diego and Shira close behind. But as we went through the door at the end of the platform, I thought back to my mother's disappearance.

Where was she...?

Is she still alive...?

And what was Walter doing to her...?

_I need to find my mother and get out of here with my friends ... Fast!_


	29. Chapter 29: King Street Line

**Chapter 29: King Street Line**

"Hey guys, we should, probably ... Take a little break for a minute."

"Alright then. That sounds like a good idea."

Upon hearing Peaches and Elise suggest that made me want to collapse to the ground for I needed to put my mind at rest. I didn't show it to my friends but deep down, I was so frightened that I was going to lose my mother.

_I didn't want to arrive where Walter was keeping her and immediately find out I was too late ... And that she was gone ..._

Just as my friends went to either sit down or stand in the room, I let my back hit the wall and slide down until I found myself sitting on the wooden floor, clutching my shotgun tightly. Unexpectedly, Sonic decided to join me. Truth be told, I thought he was going to talk to Elise since he knows her better, but ... I guess I didn't mind anyway, since he's such a nice dude.

"Hey," My idol said, instantly getting my attention. "Is there something on your mind?"

I sighed. "Yep. But ... I'd rather not talk about it, since I need to, you know, clear my head for a bit."

As soon as those words left my mouth, I mentally cursed myself since I could tell that Sonic wanted to help me with whatever was bothering me. Damn it, I should have said something different!

"That's fine..." The blue hedgehog replied, giving me a genuine smile of concern. "But if you change my mind, just give me a shout."

_Phew, that's a relief ... But I do need to tell him sometime soon..._

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

He nodded in acknowledgement but then, he frowned in thought. "How old are you anyway?"

"16." I responded, trying to calm my breathing.

Hearing this, Sonic leaned back against the wall as he allowed a small smile to crease his cheeks. "Man, I remember when I was your age. Good times they were."

Just as he said this, Manny decided to come over to check up on us. "You guys okay over here?"

"Eh, we've been worse. What's up?" Sonic responded, gazing back at me every so often.

"Well, I've been talking with my family and they said that they were going to continue looking around the Lynch Street Line, whilst we head down to the King Street one." The mammoth began. I could tell that he was slightly concerned and worried about being separated from the Herd as I knew he wanted to protect them from all of the dangers of the otherworlds.

_Poor guy..._

"Although, we will be meeting up back at the turnstiles, so it won't be for long. How do you two feel about that?"

Sonic just simply gave a thumbs up whilst I nodded in agreement. "That sounds good to me."

We then took a couple more minutes to get our heads in gear and soon enough, the three of us were down the ladder whilst Elise, Ellie and the others went through the same door we came in just hours ago.

_Let's hope this works..._

**M-M**

Deep down, I never thought I would be on a journey like this.

I hoped that this would all be a nightmare and that I'd wake up, back home, with my family and safe from this ... mess. But eventually, I knew that I had to accept the fact that it wasn't just a dream.

_It was real._

The blue hedgehog and the princess seem nice, but I was still suspicious. Megan however, was different. At first, I thought of her a threat and I wanted her out of the picture as soon as I laid eyes on her. Even when she defended us from those monsters, I wanted her gone.

It wasn't until we found her on the carousel that I started to realise ... Maybe, I misjudged the poor kid. After all, the reason why she's in the otherworlds was that her mother mysteriously disappeared.

_Her father was in the otherworlds for exactly the same reason..._

We eventually made it to the King Street Line and almost instantly, we were confronted by two sniffer dogs. I slammed my foot hard on the ground, forcing them to stumble and almost lose their balance.

Megan took this opportunity to grab her pistol and fire two or three bullets at them whilst the hedgehog curled himself in a ball and barged his way through, somehow knocking them down.

"Nice one!"

"Got your back, guys!"

_I wonder if Sid will try and get them and the princess to join us..._

After the sniffer dogs fell lifeless, we began to take in our surroundings as we continued our trek. They were extremely bizarre; the walls were rusty and covered in red whilst the objects happened to be the same.

What made things more disturbing was that a large worm of some kind had itself locked in between the walls, as if linking itself to something far worse than these worlds.

"All we gotta do is find the escalator and get up there!" Megan shouted as she led the way. "Not long now!"

"Alright, kid!" I replied, trying my best to keep up with her. "Just show us where we're going!"

_Who knows? Maybe ... Her two friends aren't so bad after all..._

**M-E**

"Argh!" Crash groaned in frustration. "Where the heck are they?!"

"Hey, relax." Diego muttered, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "They're probably caught up with something. Those three can handle themselves well."

I closed my eyes in an attempt to calm my breathing. Even though I was worried sick, I knew that Sonic would look after Megan with Manny's assistance.

To be honest, I didn't particularly hold a soft spot for the mammoth because of the way he treated my gentle friend.

I could tell that he still hated her but ... maybe, his dislike happened to be decreasing as if he was slowly starting to see all of the kindness and innocence was locked in her heart.

_Please let that be the case..._

"Guys, it won't be long." I said, looking down at my knife and gripping it tightly. "I'm sure Sonic, Megan and Manny will here soon."

"Elise is right," Ellie agreed, walking up next to me. "We just need to wait for a little bit longer."

_And then, we'll be on our way..._


	30. Chapter 30: Haunting Visions

**Chapter 30: Haunting Visions**

Three minutes soon passed and still, there was no sign of our three friends. I was quite tempted to head down to the King Street Line and find them but at the same time, I knew they would be fine.

_Besides, they can assist each other if one gets into trouble..._

"Hey Sidney," Granny spoke up, breaking the silence. "What do you think is in there?!"

We all laid our eyes on the door to the room in front of us. I could see that the windows and objects inside were covered in a moist crimson, like it was there for a long period of time. Just the very sight didn't look appealing and deep down, I was praying that a certain sloth wouldn't bring up a gesture I did not want to do.

_And, he did._

"Princess, maybe you could go in there and see if there's anything we can use." Sid suggested, keeping a close eye and Granny as the words left his mouth.

"First of all, I'm a normal girl like Megan, so please call me Elise." I began, trying to remain calm as I gripped my knife more tightly. "Secondly, I'm not particularly a huge fan of ... you know, that."

I pointed a finger at the large portion of crimson which was clearly seen on the windows. "Believe me, I do want to check if there's anything useful but ... I cannot stand seeing such grim surroundings."

Yes, I have just admitted that I am mildly squeamish when it comes to things like this. If I told someone else, then they would have laughed and teased me. But, I do have reasons. On the day of my father's death, I immediately went back inside to find him once I came to. I was ... greeted with a terrible sight; my kind, loving and gentle father, lying flat on the floor and covered from top to bottom in cuts and bruises.

_It was a memory I so desperately wished to forget._

"We understand." Ellie said, nodding. "But, how about you head in with one of us? Maybe, that might make things easier?"

"Yeah!" Both Buck and Flynn agreed. "I mean ... We're all in this together, so you can always give us a shout!" The weasel continued, with his friend giving a thumbs up.

A huge smile creased my cheeks as I went over to unlock the door. "I'm really grateful, thank you."

Shira was the one who decided to come with me. She too seemed disgusted by the crimson which was perfectly understandable. I took a deep breath, turned the knob and walked in.

As soon as we entered, a series of visions began to flash repeatedly in my head as I stepped forward, taking in my surroundings. Shira grimaced as she looked around, not liking what she was seeing at all.

"I could be wrong, but I think this is where that ghost got killed." She sighed, averting her gaze back to Diego, Sid and the others.

Panting, I tried to confirm that she was indeed right, but the visions gradually got worse and worse until they physically and mentally overwhelmed me. "I ... I ... I believe you may be righ—"

As soon as those words left my mouth, a tormented scream was forced out of me.

"Elise...?" Peaches, Louis and Ellie called out. "Is everything alright...?!"

"No, we need some help! Where's Manny and the other two?!" Shira shouted, looking at me with genuine concern.

That was when my sight was completely blinded by the visions I was having.

I saw ... I saw a young man in his late twenties, dressed in a simple long-sleeved blue shirt and matching jeans who was cradling an older woman who was breathing heavily. Her outfit happened to be a cleaner version of her ghost's outfit, much brighter and colourful, despite being stained in crimson.

_"It's just ... a dream right? ... __I ... I feel like I'm dying!"_

_"It's okay ... It's just a dream..."_

The woman then let out a strangled gasp and fell lifeless, letting her hand drop from the young man's cheek.

"Elise?! Hello, wakey, wakey! ... ELISE?!"

Snapping back to reality, I opened my eyes in a flash and found myself face to face with my new friends. "What...? What is it?"

"What the heck happened to you?!" Peaches demanded. "You were literally screaming your head off a few seconds ago, we were worried sick!"

I shook my head twice and blinked, trying to get a grip on what just occurred. I knew I had a series of visions but I had absolutely no clue that they were going to be so intense and powerful.

After eventually managing to calm my breathing, I was suddenly startled by a trio of footsteps, one set being incredibly loud thuds. Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others all recognised it and let broad grins crease their cheeks.

"That's them, let's go!" Sid cried, opening the door and beckoning us to come out.

**E-M**

I'm only going to say this once; heading up that escalator and fighting those wall-men was not cool at all.

_I mean, c'mon! They kept throwing us back down the way we came!_

Since Manny decided that we're heading back down to the exit with the others, I am sooooo looking forward to getting my revenge on those monsters, it's unreal.

"What took you three so long?!" Granny demanded, marching towards me with the intention of whacking me hard with her stick.

"I know we may sound impatient," Louis began, with concern lacing his tone. "But—"

"We've been waiting forever!" The elderly female sloth interrupted him, managing to deliver a severe blow to my forehead, forcing a yell of pain out of me.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Sonic shouted, quickly grabbing my shoulders and pulling me out of harm's way. "We're sorry, we ... got caught up with a major issue which still needs to be dealt with before we leave."

_Hopefully, Granny won't push us further for an explanation..._

"Have you guys found anything?" Manny asked, somehow changing the subject.

Just as those words left his mouth, Diego came out of the exit room with a train handle that he kept a tight grip on with his jaws. "We only found this in there, nothing else."

Whilst my friends were checking up on each other, my mother suddenly drifted back into my thoughts. I didn't want to enter the area she was held captive in and discover that the worst had happened. The possibility of seeing my sweet and caring mother ... gone ... absolutely terrified me.

How can I live ... without her? She has gone out of her way to help me in good times and bad, was always there to comfort me whenever I needed it and was the first person out of my family to congratulate me if I ever achieved something pleasant.

My mum's never given up on me, and I have never given up on her...

What will I do ... if she's gone...?

What ... should I do if I fail...?

"Guys, we should get going now. Everyone ready?"

Snapping back to reality, I noticed that my friends had planned to head back down to the King Street Line in order to get out. Manny, Sid and Diego were already descending the staircase with the possums and Ellie in tow. Eventually the rest of us went down to join them, whilst I was preparing for the wild ride on that escalator.

It wasn't long until it began; Elise and I overtook the others, getting our weapons at the ready. Sonic and Manny also prepared themselves for those blasted wall-men to make their move, along with Diego and Shira.

"Get ready!" The mammoth shouted, making sure that his family were okay.

After clenching my eyes shut for a brief second, I reloaded my hunting rifle and aimed it at the first wall-man who had just appeared, letting out a loud roar. I immediately began firing bullets, whilst Sonic curled up into a ball and launched himself into it.

Unfortunatley, another wall-man appeared and did the very thing I dreaded most; it grabbed me and Elise with an overwhelming grip and threw us back up the way we came. We both screamed until we landed hard on the steel moving steps.

"What in the world...?!" My deceased friend yelled, pulling herself up to her feet with me in tow.

"Yeah, yeah! I know!" I repiled, sprinting down to join Sonic and the others. "Elise, c'mon!"

The good news was that we were able to make past the first three of four wall-men. But, we still had some bad news; more wall-men to deal with. We were all attacking them with the strength we had, some of us slowly getting tired and worn out. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't the only one who actually came close to giving up. But, multiple phrases of encouragement helped a lot.

"Guys, keep going! Not long, now!" Peaches cried, whacking two wall-men hard with her trunk.

"I can see the end! Just a little bit more, c'mon!" I shouted, firing more bullets whilst fighting our enemies physically.

"I so can't wait to get out of this place..." Crash muttered, eyeing Buck in awe as he stabbed a wall-man with his knife.

"You and me both!" The weasel repiled, letting out his cowboy cry again.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour of fighting, screaming and shouting, we made it down the escalator. We all high-fived one another as if to say "You did good." and continued on.

"So, what now?" Diego asked, as we ventured inside the train to find the exit.

"You give me the train handle, I install it into this small hole thing and we're outta here!" I repiled, walking as fast as I could to the very first car.

Eventually, we got there and the Smilodon gave the handle to me. I quickly did what I said and a loud vroom echoed around us, somehow indicating that the car had moved.

"Okay, let's go!" Manny shouted, making his way down a long staircase leading to a simple door with a halo of the sun inscribed into it.

One by one, we went through with Elise holding the door open for us. As soon as it closed, we decided to catch our breath for a brief few seconds.

"You guys alright?" I asked, cupping my hands against my knees as I tried to calm my breathing.

"Yep," Sonic answered, giving his usual thumbs up. "We're fine!"

After a while, we pulled ourselves together. We happened to be in a rather narrow room with another door at the end, it did look freaky but it was nothing too threatening. As I pulled myself back up, I couldn't help but notice that my friends were eyeing something behind me with fright and anger; that was when I realised ... I had one guess on what it could be.

I gripped my hunting rifle tightly, and slowly turned round...

Only to find myself staring down the barrel of a handgun.

_Ah great, it's you..._


	31. Chapter 31: Wish House Orphanage

_QAN: Hi everyone, apologies for not having updated in some time. I've been rather busy with my exams, so I had to stop for a while. :-(_

_I also would like to say a big Thank you for the support so far, it really means a lot. :-)_

_Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter and I'll see you again soon!_

* * *

**Chapter 31: Wish House Orphanage**

I just stood there, completely stunned and frightened for my friends' lives. The person who was currently pointing the gun at my head was none other than the man in the coat; the same man who was responsible for Elise, Maria and Cybil's deaths, along with Sonic's attack in the apartments.

_And now he's coming after us... No..._

Unable to hold his terror in any longer, Sid let out a loud scream which thankfully snapped most of us back to reality. I immediately whacked the man hard with my hunting rifle and shoved him out of the way, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me.

"IT'S HIM!" Elise screamed, grabbing the possums whilst she and the others caught up with me. "GO, GO, MOVE!"

"RUN!" Buck yelled, stabbing the man with his knife whilst Flynn eventually managed to scoop him up as he ran. "No time to attack, buddy!" The elephant seal shouted, trying hard not to look back at our assailant.

_Just get through the damn exit before he starts shooting!_

The man cackled evily as a sudden click echoed, indicating that he was so close to pulling the trigger on us. Thinking fast, I kicked down the door with all the strength I had and one by one, we all entered and found ourselves in the next spiral staircase, with Sonic managing to slam it shut afterwards.

Panting hard, I began pacing around as the realisation began to sink in. Manny was shaking his head in disbelief whilst Eddie threw himself onto his older brother in sheer fright.

"Was that ... who I thought it was?!" Crash stammered, trembling as he tightened his grip on Eddie.

Hearing this, Sonic placed his hands on his hips and sighed. "I don't know why he wants to kill us, but we gotta beat him."

_Because he probably knows that I'm looking for my mother!_

Just then, a thought suddenly came into my mind that the man in the coat could actually be Walter. I remembered reading that small note once I came home from school. Maybe ... my friends have seen him before on their own adventures, as Manny told me back in Silent Hill that he and his family travelled to a set of different worlds before I showed up.

_I have to find out._

"We should probably get going." Shira murmured. "Hopefully, there might be a good chance that we'll be safe in the next world, if we're careful."

After a short moment of silence, everyone agreed before they began making their way down to the exit. I was a bit far behind as I couldn't help but think about our attacker and his plans. I knew he wanted to kill me and Sonic obviously, but if he knew that I was looking for my mother, then ... What does he have planned?

Soon enough, we entered the door and found ourselves in a dark forest which happened to have a certain building I heard about before. The atmosphere was heavily foggy and I could barely see a thing, this somehow made a deep realisation hit me like a hard smack in the face. And it also happened with everyone else, confirming my suspicions.

"We ... We can't be!" Sonic yelled, looking at Elise in horror. "We can't be back!"

"You've been here before?!" Manny asked, with complete and utter shock lacing his tone.

"It's a long story." My deceased friend said, trying her best to calm the mammoth down. "Let's just keep going, and we'll explain later, okay?"

"Guys, Elise is right." I butted in, gesturing for my friends to follow me. "I think there's a building in the centre of this area so it's better that we chat there."

_Hopefully, the man won't enter the central area we're headed for._

**M-E**

I did not want to be back at all.

The first time I was here, I suddenly found myself going through a mysterious hole I discovered whilst exploring the cold and icy White Acropolis. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting to find myself in Silent Hill with Sonic, let alone twice.

_I guess life can sometimes throw surprises at you._

One by one, we followed Megan through the door and we were greeted with not very pleasant sightings; a small pack of sniffer dogs eyeing us evily and worst of all, the man in the coat who was staring at us, waiting to make his move.

"Ah, boy." The young girl muttered, freezing on the spot as soon as she saw him. After a small moment of composing herself, Megan turned round to face us, obviously overwhelmed with nervousness as she was panting lightly. "Okay, we need a plan of attack. Fast."

"Maybe, two of us can distract him whilst we sneak past with him noticing o—" Sid began, nervously.

"Or we can charge in, guns blazing." Crash interrupted, still clinging to Eddie.

_Well, alright then..._

Suddenly, something inside me prompted me to look up and scream as I quickly grabbed Megan and pulled her to my right. The man had instantly began sprinting towards us with the intent of assulting every single one of us, until we were long gone.

"GET HIM!" Both the possums yelled as they charged towards him, but soon they came back running and screaming as our assaliant raised his bloodied knife to stab them.

_There's has to be something we can do to get rid of him!_

I aimed my revolver at the man and immediately began firing bullets non-stop whilst Megan did exactly the same with her hunting rifle. Sonic curled himself up into a ball and tried to perform a spin attack, but it was unfortunatley countered as the man did a move which sent my dear friend flying until he hit the damp grass with a low groan.

"Argh..."

Having saw what our assailant had done, Megan gave a cry of rage and lunged towards him, only to be sent flying too.

"NO!"

The man cackled again and turned round, advancing slowly towards the two. Sonic fortunatley managed to pull Megan up to her feet as they both prepared themselves to fight back with all the strength they had.

"You think you can bring us down, dude? Come on then!" The blue hedgehog taunted, keeping the young girl close behind him in a protective manner, whilst she aimed her hunting rifle at our assailant.

I quickly began thinking of a plan to stop him from doing the worst and I sprinted as fast as I could towards the three, stepping between him and my two dear friends. "Just ... STOP!"

Everything seemed to come to a halt; Manny and the Herd had frozen right where they stood and stared at the commotion with gaping mouths whilst I spread my arms out. If the man had to strike me down again, then so be it.

"Why are you doing this?!" I cried, giving my friends the signal to run into the next room when they had the chance. "You must have a simple explaination to why you're commitng such terrible crimes!"

_I have to protect my friends, I have to!_

Breathing heavily, I continued on. "Whatever your goal is, I know for certain that you're not going to achieve it by MURDERING THESE INNOCENT ANIMALS!"

Strangely, the man actually looked like he was considering this. I braced myself for what his reaction would be, but then I was suddenly sent falling to the ground as his fist connected with my jaw with a powerful blow.

I groaned in pain as I struggled to pull myself up. Megan and Sonic were already attacking our assailant further for what he did to me, but both Peaches and I eventually managed to pull them through the door, slamming it shut in the process.

Manny and the Herd were struggling to catch their breath whilst my two friends were giving me worried looks due to what just occured.

"I swear, he's similar to that big red dude from the deadly six." Megan muttered as she composed herself. "Since he cackles almost 24/7."

"Come to think of it," Sonic repiled. "I agree with you on that one."

After a small moment of silence, we all decided to take in our surroundings again. The foggy ambiance sent shivering chills running down my spine, but the huge building which stood in the centre did the exact opposite.

Wish House Orphanage.

_Hopefully, things will take a positive turn soon..._


	32. Chapter 32: Cradle of Forest

**Chapter 32: Cradle of Forest**

**E-S**

I gotta say, I'm well shocked to see that Elise, kiddo and the Herd were all brave enough to stand up to Walter when I was in trouble, both back at in Room 303 and here in the forest.

_Come on, those two girls and that group of animals are troopers!_

Before that incident back in the subway station, I decided that I was going to return the favour if any of my new friends found themselves in trouble. I knew our assailant was going to be a huge problem, so I was going to do everything I could to prevent the worst from happening.

_... I'm ... also hoping that Tails and the gang won't end up here too... Because of him._

"Looks like we're gonna have to set up headquarters here," Kiddo murmured, quickly reloading her hunting rifle as she walked towards the orphanage. "Just so we have a place where we can retreat to if we get attacked."

_Smart idea._

Manny, Sid, Diego, Elise, the possums and I quickly caught up with her whilst Ellie and the others took a long look around the outside area. Even though I didn't manage to talk to them that much, I ... was actually becoming more and more used to hanging out with a group of pre-historic animals.

"So ..., Sonic." The sloth began, looking at me in awe. "You haven't said much about yourself."

"Oh," I replied, strangely startled by Sid's sentence. "Well, believe it or not. I'm the fastest thing on earth."

"WHOA! Really?!" Crash shouted, letting his jaws drop to the ground in shock whilst Eddie pointed at him and burst out laughing. "That's just like Megan!"

"Guys..." She muttered, rolling her eyes in both annoyance and amusement. "Please don't."

However, I was becoming interested in the possums' story. I felt like I was becoming my cheeky teenage self again, yet I cast a sympathetic look in the young girl's direction as if to say "Sorry kiddo, I'm hooked."

"Okay." I muttered sternly, crossing my arms and nodding for the possums to continue. "What did you two do?"

"Please don't say it." The young girl said again, backing away and eyeing a suspicious Manny nervously. I suspected that both possums weren't going to make it short and simple like I hoped they would, but I was greeted with something else altogether.

"Manny gave her a compliment and she ended up like Crash." The smirking Eddie quickly revealed, making the mammoth give the girl a look of surprise. She continued backing away until she had nowhere else to go, clearly believing that he was going to corner her and demand fiercely for a reason.

But instead, Manny just snorted with sincere amusement and let a small smile crease his cheeks. I didn't show it, but deep down, I let out a huge sigh of relief.

_Thanks, dude._

Upon seeing what was happening, Kiddo snapped back to reality and turned her head away from the two possums, lifting a hand up in the process.

"Heh," She scoffed, dropping her hand and mock-glaring at them. "I ain't chillin' with you guys no more."

_Wow, that kid's feisty. You go girl!_

"Ooooooh, burn!" Elise teased, trying her best to stifle any incoming giggles.

"Someone's a little mad." Diego commented, smirking as he watched Crash and Eddie staring at our young friend with sneaky smiles written all over their faces. "I'm looking forward to seeing where this is going."

_Believe or not, so am I._

**S-M**

I was really enjoying this.

Although, I can be a bit of a cheeky midget sometimes, I still like to occasionally tease and wind up my loved ones. Even if we were stuck in these hell-worlds for god knows, how long.

_Is it me ... or am I becoming a human teenage girl version of my blue idol?_

"Hey guys!" Ellie called out, catching our attention. "Why don't we go inside the building and set up shelter?!"

"On our way!" Sonic repiled, throwing a thumbs up in her direction, before turning to face us. "We should, head over there and see what's up."

The seven of us quickly began making out way over to the front entrance, only stopping half-way to find a new weapon for Elise; a bow with a set of ten arrows. As pleased as I was for her, I couldn't help but wish I had one of my own — just in case, something happened.

_But hey, you work with what you have._

As soon as we entered the orphanage, I immediately joined Peaches and Louis as they went to take a look around, whilst the adults got together in one large group to discuss their plan of action. Just then, I had the most ... strange conversation with those two. One I feel like we should have had, when I first arrived in Switchback Cove.

"Hey Megan," Peaches began, eyeing me with a cheerful grin. "I, um, I was just wondering if you had someone special in your life. Like Ethan is with me..."

_Whoa, whoa, whoa! Where did that come from?!_

"Oh," I repiled, feeling completely stunned by her question. "I ... First of all, when were you planning on asking me this?"

Hearing this, she frowned and gave a small sigh. "I was going to ask you before, but it didn't come to mind..."

I nodded to show that everything was okay, and began to answer with one simple word.

"No..."

"Wait, what?!"

"No. I don't have someone special in my life, unfortunatley." I repiled again, with a sad expression written on my features. "I ... kinda wish I did, though... But all people my age do, is just avoid me like the plague."

_Yep, that practically sums me up in a nutshell._

"I'm really sorry," My teenage mammoth friend murmured, after a moment of silence. "But, I'm sure you'll find someone eventually. You just need to wait for the right person to show up."

I let a small smile crease my cheeks upon hearing those words. "Thanks, Peaches."

But then, I suddenly let Ethan and the teenagers drift into my thoughts. When they first saw me, I tell ya, they were beyond shocked to see an actual human in their world. Well, at least everything turned out alright after my two friends said that I was fine.

"You're really lucky Ethan's around." I said, remembering the moments those two shared in the fourth Ice Age movie. To be honest, even though I liked him ... I prefer her hanging out with Louis, since I know he secretly likes her aswell.

_I mean, c'mon! He's kindhearted and has those adorable blue eyes!_

"Yeah!" Peaches chirped, giggling at the thought of her mammoth crush. "I'm so glad I have him in my life!"

Chuckling, I shook my head with amusement. "To tell the truth, I wouldn't be surprised if he asks you out soon."

Unfortunatley, our now pleasant conversation was cut short by Manny calling. "Hey kids, mind if you could come over please?

_Here we go._

As soon as the three of us joined up with the adults, that was when they revealed what we were going to do next. And believe me when I say, they could have chosen a better idea. "What's up?"

There were several murmurs of doubt lingering between Sonic, Elise, Ellie and Diego whilst Manny took a deep breath. "We had a talk, and we decided what's going to happen. We'—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I interrupted sharply, mentally cursing myself for doing so. "We know about that, so please can you just tell us what your plan is?"

"Okay, okay," He repiled, trying his best to remain calm. I gave him an apologetic look for what I did seconds before, as I loathed the idea of fighting my friends. "I don't know wether this is going to work or not, but ... You three are gonna head out, whilst we fend the man off."

_Wait ... WHAAAT?!_

Just as Peaches was about to protest, Elise stepped in to speak. "You won't be alone, though. Sonic and I are coming with you."

"Well ..." I began, trying to choose my words carefully. "You do know that ... We can defend ourselves too?"

"Yeah!" Peaches put in, placing her trunk on my shoulder. "We may be teenagers, but we can handle ourselves well against threats."

_Thanks girl!_

"Okay, so," Shira murmured. "We'll meet you five back here?"

"Sure." Elise repiled, giving her a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine."

After that exchange, we all went our separate ways; Manny and the Herd going north whilst Sonic and our little group decided to go east. Truth be told ..., I hoped that by the end of this, we would be able to get out together with my parents. I didn't want to fail, and I didn't want to think about what I would do if we did.

I shook my head and blinked. Now wasn't the time to think about losing my family and friends in the madness.

"Here we ..."

Peaches, Louis, Elise and I stepped to the side slightly as we watched Sonic take a step back, preparing himself to do what he did best.

"GO!"

A loud sonic boom errupted as he took off. We immediately sprinted after him, whilst I made up my mind on what I wanted to do next.

_Okay, if we stop somewhere ... I'm going to tell Sonic about my mother's disappearance._

_I can't keep it bottled up inside me forever..._

_Who knows, what will happen if I don't open up soon?_

_... Let's just hope it goes well._


	33. Chapter 33: The Chase

QAN: Hey guys, sorry I haven't uploaded in a while. School has become really tough, so I won't be online that much. Anyways, hope y'all enjoy Chapter 33! :)

* * *

**Chapter 33: The Chase**

_(Meanwhile, with the Sub Zero Heroes...)_

**M-S**

"Keep an eye out for anything we can use!"

"I hope the man doesn't decide jump out and attack us. What if he's after the kids?!"

"Shira, they got the princess and hedgehog with them, so I wouldn't worry too much."

"Wouldn't worry? ... _Right_."

Several minutes had passed since we left the orphanage, and most of us were already growing worried for Peaches, Louis and Megan. I didn't want to leave them behind, not like how we left our young human friend back in Silent Hill. She seemed very confident, so much that I had no idea how she managed to come _this _far and not break down due to everything that occured up until now.

"Hey guys!" Sid shouted, drawing our attention to him. "I think I found something!"

"Brilliant!" Ellie cheered, smiling brightly. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's good."

We all then followed the sloth and took a good look at what he discovered. A set of ... watches? Yes, watches, were sitting on the darkish green grass. I didn't know what they were for, but faint static and distorted voices happened to be blurring out of them.

_"...L..Look...t...im...go!"_

_"...I...an't...keep...up!"_

_"Hey...onic,...ind...slowing...down?!"_

_"...sorry guys...I'll...top...and...wait."_

As soon as we recognised the voices, some of us froze instantly. It was Megan and her group. But the good thing was that they're weren't cornered by our assailant from before. Surly, he was cornered by our young friend's father or somewhere else in the forest. If that happened to be the case, then we all were okay for now.

"Um," Crash stammered, trembling with fear. "Guys ..., we should move."

_Please don't tell me the problem is what I think it is._

Even though I was frightened for my family's safety, I decided to take action and defend them. I slowly turned round to see the person I loathed most, the same person who was plotting to kill the ones I loved. He stood a few feet back holding a pistol and a knife, grinning evily as he stared at us.

_NO!_

There was a rather long moment of silence before Sid snapped us back to reality by screaming in fright. We all them dodged both left and right as the man began to fire bullets whilst advancing towards us. "Guys, RUN!" Ellie screamed as she managed to get to a safe place with Crash and Eddie in tow. I ducked behind a set of dark green bushes for cover, desperately trying to think of a way to get rid of our assaliant.

Manny and Diego soon joined me and began to discuss what their plan of attack should be.

"So, what do we do?" I wanted to know, panting worriedly.

"I'm trying to think, but I don't see a way where we can hold him off easily!"

"We're going to have to, Manny!" My husband reasoned. "Until Megan and her group get back, we're distracting him."

I could see that the mammoth wanted to protest, so I decided to speak up. "Diego's right. It's the only way we can get out of this, so I suggest we all get out there and take him on, until the time comes for us to escape."

_Hopefully, this will go well._

**S-M**

I did not want this guy to hurt my family.

Up until the events in the hedgehog's apartment, I had no clue to why the man decided to start killing these people. Sure, we weren't there to witness them but Megan was, and I couldn't help but feel sympathy for the girl.

_That started when I was slowly beginning to change my mind about her._

For some reason, I let one certain kid drift back into my thoughts. Pinky. Sid, Diego and I haven't seen him ever since he was a baby, reunited with his family. I wondered how he was doing, where he was and how old he'd be. Maybe ... Pinky would be about Megan's age or even a little younger. I really wanted to see him again someday after this was over.

_Right now, my family and I were in a fight to survive._

"Hey stalker!"

Buck and Flynn were already in action, circling the man as they prepared themselves to make the first move. Seeing this an opportunity to surprise him, I cautiously moved away from my hiding place and crept up on our assailant.

"Where ... Is ... The girl?" The man sneered as he aimed his pistol and fired.

Both the weasel and seal screamed as they dodged the bullets. Luckily, the man still had his back turned to me and I took the chance to whack him hard with my trunk, sending him falling to the dark green grass. Just as I was about to deliver another blow, he pulled himself up to his feet and lunged towards me with his knife.

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" He roared, becoming more and more infuriated at our attempts to stop him.

"If you want her, then you'll have to go through us!" Buck yelled, plunging his knife deep into his foot, just as the hedgehog had done before.

The man let out a scream of pain and did something which completely shocked all of us; he tore the weapon out of his foot and stabbed me quickly in the shoulder, forcing a yell of agony to come out of me.

Hearing this, our assailant chuckled. "Now the odds have turned round ... You all are on the verge of giving up, whilst I'm close to victory. I will give you ... one chance, mammoth."

I was breathing heavily as I wrapped my trunk tightly around the knife in an attempt to pull it out. Diego and Buck immediately went to attack him, but unfortunately they were both sent flying to the ground in one single hit.

"Diego!" I screamed in fright.

"Manny!"

Seeing my family hurt was enough to send me into hysterics. I gave out a yell of rage and pushed myself against the man, trying hard to force him to release his tight grip. I wasn't going to let him kill my family and friends.

Even if I fall down and become the next victim, then so be it.

"You have ... until the count of five to tell me where the girl is. If you don't ..." He struggled to maintain his grip and it looked like he was going to succeed in taking us down. "Then I will make absolute sure ... That you all will suffer long, slow and painful deaths. Afterwards you'll find yourselves trapped in my worlds. Forever!"

What the heck?! He's gone completely insane! We have to get rid of him, fast!

"One ..." Our assailant began counting, giving me a dangerous grin. "Two—"

I barely managed to stop him by interrupting. "Alright, alright!" I screamed again, breathing heavily. "She's at the subway station!"

I only lied because I didn't want him to hurt Megan or anyone else. Ellie, Diego and the others must have known this, since they were looking at me with small smirks, as if to say "Nice move, buddy".

However, the man didn't let me go as he continued to plunge his knife deep into my shoulder. I groaned quietly as I reached for the weapon and tugged. I screamed painfully as I pulled the knife out of my shoulder, stabbing it into his shoulder multiple times as he fell to the ground.

After that, there was just silence. My family came out of their hiding places and checked to see if Diego, Buck and I were okay. Just as we were about to get going, three voices stopped its in our tracks.

"Dad!"

"Ellie!"

"Guys!"

My sweet and caring daughter, Peaches ran into the area with Louis and the princess in tow. She instantly sprinted up to me and nuzzled me tightly. "Dad, what happened?! We heard you screaming a few minutes ago!" Peaches cried as she entwined her trunk with mine. I gave her a comforting smile as I returned the gesture.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be alright..." I soothed, cupping her cheek softly. "I'm still here..."

Soon, she pulled away and began talking to everyone else. Meanwhile, I noticed that Megan and the hedgehog were nowhere to be seen. "Hey, where's—"

"You don't need to worry about them." The princess replied, looking just as concerned as I was. "Megan said that she needed to talk to Sonic privately for a while."

"Is it what I think it is...?" I asked, knowing full well what the matter was about.

"Yes ... I'm sure they'll be fine."

Upon hearing the words come out of her mouth, I locked eyes with Ellie and it looked like she knew about it too. "Okay, we'll head back and wait for them to arrive."

We all then took the long journey back to the orphanage, grabbing the watches Sid found before our sudden fight. Whilst we walked, I was praying deep down that everything would turn out fine with Megan and her friend.

_That kid sure is something..._


	34. Chapter 34: Opening Up

**QAN: This ... is my favourite scene in the entire story. I do have a few others, but this comes first. Fair warning: The feels train is coming... *grabs tissues***

* * *

**Chapter 34: Opening Up**

_(In Room 302 of Silver Lake Apartments...)_

**M-M**

God, I am so nervous.

I decided to head back to my apartment, so I could clear my head, get a few other supplies and figure out how I was going to phrase my revelation. Sonic was okay with that, but ... I could tell he was becoming rather worried about me.

_Well, I'm a tough kid. So ... There's no need to worry. You just gotta keep running._

After gathering some extra first-aid kits and health drinks I found in Silent Hill, I noticed that the blood-stains on my blue striped jacket had grown worse since our arrival to the forest. Just like I'd done before entering Room 303, I tore through the clothes in my wardrobe and eventually found a purple and black checked long-sleeved flannel shielding itself away from the sunlight outside my window.

"Aha!" I chirped, taking off my blue one and putting the new jacket on. "Perfect!"

Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself together and walked back into the living room. I really wanted to know how Tails and the gang were doing with everything that occured so far. I ... can't even describe how bad I feel for them. I'd be in exactly the same position if any of my loved ones were attacked in the same brutal manner.

_Who can blame them...?_

Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be found. I assumed that they were still at St Jerome's Hospital or ... maybe having a small walk in the park, trying to take their minds of the situation.

I sighed sadly. "I'm so sorry, guys..."

To be honest, if I had managed to get in there before the man showed up, Sonic would be okay and I would've been attacked instead. I'm the sort of person who would go to great lengths to protect my family and loved ones. It's ... just who I am, basically.

However, there were two people in the bedroom; our superintendent, a really lovely woman in her mid to late forties and a younger policeman who was pacing here and there, obviously thinking about the events from before.

"So, they took the victim to St Jerome's, huh?" The woman wanted to know.

"Yeah, he's not going to make it," The policeman repiled. "He was attacked in the same manner as Eileen Galvin was, three weeks ago."

_Argh! Sonic's still alive and breathing, he's going to be okay! Ugh ... I'll show these cops._

"Walter Sullivan copycat. Round 4, eh?"

"They never got the murderer behind the previous three rounds. Maybe, it's the same person." Our superintendent muttered under her breath, crossing her arms in thought as she sat down on the bed.

"Now, what if—"

"What?"

The policeman sighed in frustration. "Let me finish. Anyway, what if ... Rounds 2 and 3? What if ... They're all the same person?"

Upon hearing those words, the superintendent sprung from the bed in a fit of rage. "What the hell are you TALKING about?! ... You know Sullivan killed himself!"

I agreed with her 100%. Walter Sullivan's dead. I remembered reading a news report about the cops saying that they even found his corpse. At first, I believed that it was an insane copycat too. But now ... I wasn't so sure.

Not wanting to hear anymore, I pulled myself up to my feet and made my way into my bedroom where the hole was waiting.

After putting on my backpack, I took a deep breath and crawled into the hole.

* * *

_(Back in Forest World, East Side...)_

Once I emerged, I shut my eyes briefly to control my emotions. My heart was beating faster and faster by the minute and already, I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. I quickly wiped them away and put on a facade of calmness.

"Damn it Megan," I scolded myself. "If you have time to worry, then run..."

Deep down, I absolutely loved that quote. Every time I heard Sonic say that one particular line, I would always brighten up and let a wide grin crease my cheeks. The fact that he also said it to me and the Herd, unprompted, makes me love it even more.

He was there, having not moved from when I last saw him. Sonic was leaning against the railing, gazing at the massive Toluca Lake which led to the mountains and small buildings on the other side. One thing I liked about my idol so much was that he always took an interest in exploring new places and meeting new friends.

I walked slowly up to him, repeating that one quote in my head again and again.

"Sonic?"

Upon hearing his name being spoken, my idol immediately turned round to face me with one of his usual friendly smiles.

"Hey kid!"

I tried to smile back and the good thing was that I managed to succeed, only just. I quickly re-adjusted my ponytail as I went over to join Sonic. From the look on his face, he could definitely tell that something was bothering me.

"So, er, what have you been up to, whilst I was gone?" I asked, resting my arms against the railing and looking out across the lake.

The blue blur just shrugged. "Eh, not much. Just been waiting for you to come back, really." He answered with a cheerful chuckle. "How's Tails and the gang doing?"

"I ... I didn't see them." I replied sadly. "They're probably still at the hospital, I think."

Letting out a small sigh, I gripped the metal railing tightly and locked eyes with Sonic. "I can't even describe how bad I feel for them."

"Oh," My idol murmured, frowning. "Well once we all get out of here, I'll be checking up on those guys for sure. You want to come with?"

Hearing this, my eyes lit up slightly. "Yeah, sure. I'm huge fans of them too, so of course I'll be there."

There was a small moment of silence between us afterwards. I began thinking back to all of the pleasant memories I had with my mother. I remembered one when the two of us finished Sonic's story in 06, we were laughing our heads off at the look on his face as he and Elise were flown up to the surface by a sudden explosion.

_God, that was so funny._

"...hey," I murmured, trying my best not to grin. "I, ah ..., I'm not sure if you remember this since it was nine years ago..."

I guessed that Sonic already knew what I was going to say, since he was shaking his head and grinning at me with amusement. "If this is what I think it is, I am going to chase both you and Elise down when this is over,"

_Bring it on!_

"I'm sorry..." I said, giggling both genuinely and a little cheekily. "It's just that ... You should have seen the look on your face when you guys were brought back up by the explosion!"

On one hand, I felt rather disappointed in myself for making fun of Sonic. But on the other hand, I knew that both Elise and Tails had done it aswell so .. I was pretty much going to be alright.

"That's it," My idol said, advancing towards me and wiggling his gloved fingers, which told me exactly what he was going to do. "C'mere you!"

Having burst into fits of laughter, I tried to dodge him but in the end, he managed to tackle me and pulled the both of us up from the ground, tickling me on the neck. My head fell down towards Sonic's hand in an attempt to make him stop and soon enough, he was laughing too.

_I never had so much fun in my life..._

"_Okay, okay!_ I'm sorry! You can let me go now!" I squealed, trying my best to calm down.

After he did, I re-adjusted my ponytail again and grinned at my idol. "Man, you really do know how to make a kid smile there, mate."

"I can't help it," Sonic chirped in reply, giving me a friendly wink which I returned. "It's just who I am!"

Hearing this, I gave a cheerful laugh and went over to sit down by the railing, taking off my backpack before. Just as he had done back in the subway station, Sonic joined me, this time sitting on my left.

"Hey," My idol said after a while. "You told me you wanted to talk to me about something." I turned to look at him, seeing concern written all over his face. "Is everything alright?"

_... Here we go..._

"Um, sort of," I began, steeling myself together. "The ... The reason why I'm here in the otherworlds is that..."

Memories of the murders and my mother's disappearance began flashing repeatedly in my head. I didn't want the same thing to happen to the one family member who always stuck by me, through both good times and bad. If it did, I don't know what I would do with myself. Should I ... just keep going or ... What do I do?!

I shut my eyes tightly in a desperate effort to control my emotions and put those horrible moments to one side. My chest was now rising and falling quickly with panic surging through me. I didn't know what else to do if I failed...

"I'm ... looking for someone. My ..." I struggled to say, squeezing my eyes even more shut. I was snapped back to reality by Sonic gently wrapping an arm around my shoulders, sensing the sadness and turmoil that I was going through.

"Hey..." He whispered. "It's alright, you can tell me anything. I'm one of your friends, remember?"

I opened my eyes as I heard this and nodded to tell him that I did remember, before I continued speaking. "I ... It's my mother who I'm looking for,"

As soon as those words left my mouth, I buried my face in my hands, shaking uncontrollably. I wasn't sobbing but I was dangerously close to doing so. "I ... returned home from school and ... there was this note telling me not to call for help."

"So ... I tried calling my dad first, and ... I ... _I just want my mum back!_"

The very last sentence came out as a broken cry which echoed all around us. Sonic was looking at me with strong sympathy as he began to slowly pull me a little towards him. I knew that he wasn't good with physical contact and neither was I. But just like with Elise back in Crisis City, I let it happen.

"I ... I don't know what to say," My idol murmured as he looked down at me. "Although, I promise you, I'll do what I can to help."

_And I know you never break them._

Feeling slightly better, I let a small smile crease my cheeks. "Thanks, Sonic. That really means a lot."

Once those words left my mouth, we remained in silence for a while. I managed to open my eyes and lift my head up as I struggled to calm myself down. I was a tough and jaded kid who was sometimes a bit vulnerable in places. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.

"Well, time for us to get going!" The blue hedgehog said cheerfully as he pulled himself up to his feet. "Hey Megan, you coming?"

That was ... literally the first time Sonic addressed me by name unprompted. Deep down, I thought to myself ... Maybe he could turn out to be a really good friend like all of the Herd have been. "Yeah, I am, don't worry."

I quickly pulled myself up and went to join him. I didn't know what was going to happen next, but I knew for certain that I had a new friend in the making.

_And things were going to be okay with him._


	35. Chapter 35: New Friends

**Chapter 35: New Friends**

**M-S**

She kept her worries bottled up inside her for _that _long. Words can't even describe how bad I felt for my new friend. Megan was just a kid, trapped in a horror world and looking for the one family member who stuck by her from the beginning!

_I promised her that I'll do all I can to help, and I'm known for not breaking them._

The two of us were walking back to the orphange where we assumed that Elise and the Herd were waiting. Meanwhile, I attempted to strike up cheerful conversations with Megan. Whilst she responded with a positive attitude, I could tell that she was still feeling down about her fears of losing her mother.

_If the worst comes to the worst... We'll still be around._

"Hey, Sonic, I ... I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm starting to wonder where Eggman is." Megan said suddenly, after a moment of silence.

At first, I was slightly confused as to why my young friend said that. But still ... The gang and I haven't seen him in several years. Maybe, he was hiding somewhere or busy coming up with a new plan of revenge for his many defeats.

"I don't know." I answered, shrugging as we continued walking. "He's probably thinking of a strategy to finally destroy me or something,"

"Yeah," My young friend muttered. "If he does come back, then hopefully he won't separate the earth's surface to wake up Dark Gaia again,"

_Eh, well, who knows what other tricks he's got up his sleeve?_

We eventually stopped for a while to take a break and look at our surroundings. I could tell that it was definitely night-time here, but it was hard with all the fog looming in the clouds. Megan didn't like this place too since she and the Herd had been exploring South Vale before I showed up. Poor guys... If I arrived earlier, then maybe I could have helped them through their trip.

_But, you're here now. And you're helping them, which is good!_

Suddenly, the two of us were snapped back to reality by two sets of footsteps echoing faintly from somewhere far away. "_Eggman!_" I immediately bolted forwards and looked around, in case if our enemy was actually going to come back. "Sonic, you okay there?" Megan asked, gazing at me worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry." I repiled, shrugging as I walked back to her. "I can't believe I thought he was going to show up!"

Hearing this, she shook her head in disbelief at the possibility of my enemy being here. "I don't blame you. I'd probably be the same if someone who saw me in a negative light was planning to jump out and scare me."

Another noise suddenly echoed, snapping my protective instincts into action as I didn't like the thought of my friends finding themselves in a threatening situation. My protective instincts began to kick in as I bolted forwards again. Turning my head left and right, I searched for any sign of my enemy. I didn't want Megan, Elise or the Herd to get hurt by him or the man in the coat.

The former also had a knife out at the ready, just in case if my suspicions became true. But we eventually realised that our minds were playing tricks on us. "I'll admit, you had me there for a second, you really did." My young friend sighed with relief, gripping her knife tightly.

"We're alright, kiddo." I repiled, walking back to her. "I don't think Eggman would appear in a place like this."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Megan said, smiling at me in a more comfortable manner. "I guess, we should keep going. Elise and the Herd are probably back at the Wish House by now."

**S-M**

The two of us continued on our journey back to the Wish House Orphanage after we thought Eggman was planning to visit and create chaos. But for some reason, I couldn't help but realise that ... someone was following us. Actually, two people. It was strange, yes. But at the same time, maybe it was a good thing.

As soon as we reached the door, I stopped in my tracks. "Hey, Sonic?"

Upon hearing his name being spoken, my idol and friend also froze and turned to face me with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know if it's just me, but ... I have a feeling that we're not the only ones here right now." I began, choosing my words carefully.

For a moment, the blue hedgehog didn't know what to say. I guessed that he probably realised the same thing too, just as I mentioned it. Deep down, I was panicking since I didn't want our pursuer to be the man in the coat. I kept a tight grip on my knife, trying not to tremble. "On three?" I whispered cautiously.

Sonic nodded, letting his protective instincts kick in again. "One..."

"Two..." I repiled, bracing myself for the man to jump in and take us down. "THREE!"

We both shouted the final number in perfect timing, spinning round to defend ourselves against who we assumed the threat was. But dare I say it, plot twist! It wasn't actually the man in the coat. "What the..?" I murmured in shock, letting my jaw drop.

A 17 year old two-tailed fox wandered the area with a 24 year old black and red hedgehog in tow. Just like Elise back when I first met her in Soleanna, I recognised them immediately. Sonic was just as shocked as I was, staring at his two friends and unable to move. Just then, he snapped back to reality as his young surrogate brother locked eyes with him. "No... No, _no!_ Tails, not you too!"

I watched as Sonic ran towards him, pulling him into his arms for a tight brotherly embrace. Shadow had noticed what was happening and stared at the blue hedgehog with genuine relief and surprise. "_Faker?!_"

"Sonic, you're ... _You're_..." Tails tried to begin, but he was unable to finish since the poor fox was too shocked, relieved and emotional upon seeing his big brother alright. Upon hearing him speak, Sonic tightened his grip in an attempt to comfort him. "It's okay, little bro... I'm here..."

For some strange reason, I thought back to the last moment Elise and I shared in Crisis City, before I was left alone again. Suddenly, a new and frightening possibilty entered my head as I watched the two brothers with a massive wave of sympathy overwhelming me.

_Did ... Did we both see each other as ... sisters?_

I didn't know but at the same time, I didn't like it. A teenager and a queen seeing each other as family? That's a little weird in my opinion ... I just saw Elise as a good friend even though we haven't interacted that much during our time spent together. Besides, I didn't have any siblings in my family, which makes the thought even more frightening for me.

_Anyways, enough about that._

Once I slipped my knife back into my jean pocket, I began to slowly walk over to the three animals. The expression I had was a picture of the sadness I felt for Sonic and Tails. Why couldn't I just find my mother now and leave this ghastly, horrible place with everyone I loved?! They didn't deserve to be stuck in this madness!

I had to save her. _Fast._

"Hey, did you miss me Shads?" My blue friend joked, eyeing him with a small grin.

"Hmph," Shadow repiled, sneaking a look at me. "I'm just glad you're still breathing."

_Well, alright then._

I stood in silence for a while which lead to Sonic glancing back at me after a while. "Hey guys, this is one of my new friends!" He then turned to face me with one of his cheerful smiles. "You know who these two are, don't you?"

"Yep!" I repiled, grinning back before addressing Tails and Shadow with a shy smile. "Hello, my name's Megan. It's...nice to meet you both."

Tails immediately offered his hand to shake which I accepted. "It's nice to meet you too, Megan."

Hearing this, I allowed my small smile to widen as I turned to look at Shadow who was staring at me with his arms crossed. "Thanks for ... helping Faker." He muttered, also offering his hand which I took.

"No problem." I repiled quietly.

"Hey Sonic, how did you ... get here?" Tails wanted to know, still feeling emotional from their reunion. "Because back where Knuckles and Amy are, you're still in the hospital."

My blue friend sensed what his young brother was going through as he gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's a long story, Tails. But we'll explain later..."

I quickly spoke up, realising that the Herd were still waiting. "Yeah, Sonic's right. There's an orphanage that's close by and the rest of our friends are there. We should probably get going."

One by one, the two hedgehogs and fox agreed. We then began to make our way back to the Wish House, telling our two new arrivals everything that happened so far. Meanwhile, I thought back to my mother and all of the possible events which could occur if we made it out alive. Either we'd go somewhere else as one big happy family or ... I don't know.

_I guess we'll have to wait and see._


	36. Chapter 36: Jasper Gein

**Chapter 36: Jasper Gein**

**M-E**

_Why am I only discovering this now...?_

I didn't have any brothers or sisters in my family, whereas I did have one cousin. Yet, I was thinking that ... Megan and I could wind up seeing each other as family. The thought was rather frightening but when I first met her back in my kingdom, I thought she was a really sweet young girl who seemed a little shy upon meeting someone new.

_But then, I left her behind and got greeted by a painful death..._

I remembered listening to the teenager tell me about her severe condition and how looking up to her heroes helped her through the troublesome life she suffered. I never got the opportunity to idolise someone like that ... You might say, until I met Sonic nine years ago. Truth be told, I just saw him as a close friend who was there to assist me through tough times.

_That's what they're for... And I'm grateful to have met him, Tails, Amy and the others..._

"Hey, there they are!"

"Oh, thank goodness they're okay!"

Upon hearing Sid and Ellie's excited voices, my heart practically jumped out of my chest with joy when my two friends returned. Megan immediately ran over to Peaches and Louis who greeted her with cheerful smiles and hopeful questions.

"Did you tell him..?" The teenage mammoth asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I did. Everything's alright now..." The young girl repiled, with relief clearly written all over her features.

"Oh good." Louis breathed, smiling with relief. "At least you've got it off your chest now."

Meanwhile, Sonic decided to talk to me for a while, which I didn't mind at all. But what suprised me was that Tails and Shadow had found themselves trapped in the otherworlds too. Poor guys... They didn't deserve to be in this mess, neither did everyone else.

"Elise?!" The seventeen year old fox gasped, letting his jaw drop in shock.

Shadow was just as shocked. "Aren't you... Dead? We heard the news report saying that you were, Elise. We thought you'd be in the afterlife now."

I sighed sadly, giving them friendly smiles as I did so. "Yes, I am dead. I will explain why I'm here but first, it's great to see you two again."

"Yeah." and "You too." were their repiles. I understood that they were shocked still, but I knew at some point the fox and hedgehog would eventually become comfortable around me. Just like how my two closest friends were.

Speaking of, the blue blur went to check on Megan who was hanging out with Peaches and Louis, whilst I talked with Tails and Shadow. I heard them mentioning something about Sid giving them ... communication watches? Yes, those were watches.

"Hey Sonic," Megan began, handing him a spare watch after she wrapped her own one around her wrist. "Sid discovered a whole bunch of these in the forest earlier, so I suggest we all wear one. Just so, you know.., we can keep each other updated."

My blue friend immediately took it and wrapped it around his wrist, giving both her and the sloth appreciative grins. "Ah, cool. Thanks kid."

"Anytime."

I looked on at the four and smiled. Although deep down, I kind of wished that I didn't leave Megan behind back in Crisis City to be killed by the man. I wasn't ... sure what was going to happen if we all made it out. Would I remain in heaven forever with Maria and Cybil, or ... Maybe, there could be a slight chance that the three of us could come back like our deaths never occurred. We could live happily with our friends..

_Who knows? Something could actually happen._

...

**E-S**

After regrouping with Elise and the Herd, we all decided to head towards an area which was COMPLETELY surrounded by holy candles and four massive rocks dotted here and there. Unfortunatley, Megan's radio was blurring with static which told us one thing; a threat was on the loose. Can anyone guess what it is...?

_Yep, that's right. The next freaky ghost. And from what I heard, his name is Jasper Gein._

His fiery-orange glow stood out from the darkish-gloomy sky as he floated in one spot; glaring furiously down at us. His green shirt and blue jeans were torn and shredded, but what made it worse was the fact that his skin was burnt severely. I guessed that he must have been set on fire by someone.

Just like with the female ghost back in the subway station, we all prepared ourselves as he decided to float down gripping his weapon tightly.

_Bring it on!_

Megan was the first to jump into action. She whipped out her pistol and began firing bullets into him. Elise also began pulling the trigger on her revolver, just managing to hit the ghost with two. Jasper fell back slightly with a groan, but he was still going strong.

"Argh..." Diego growled as he bared his fangs furiously. "This better be good than last time!"

"Don't remind me!" Sid shouted, scurrying behind Manny for cover.

Taking matters into my own hands, I curled up into a ball and performed a spin dash on our assailant, letting out a grunt as I finished. As she presumably was close to running out, Megan grabbed her hunting rifle and continued pumping bullets, followed by Elise and Shadow performing the same action with their firearms.

But suddenly, things got serious when Jasper grabbed Megan roughly and held her wrists in a threatening way when she struggled to escape. Fire was beginning to slowly snake up the kid's arms, forcing a loud piercing scream out of her.

"Megan!" I cried as I rushed forward, performing a series of homing attacks on Jasper, eventually forcing him to let go. She fell back onto the grass and quickly began doing all she could to get the fire out.

"There's no time for that!" Shadow yelled, with concern lacing his tone. "Keep shooting!"

"Roger!" My young friend shouted as she pulled herself up, grabbing her firearm and whacking the ghost again and again with it.

Unfortunatley. the same thing was happening to me when Jasper grabbed both my wrists, forcing me to scream loudly in pain and agony.

With a yell of rage, Megan jumped onto the ghost's back and plunged a knife deep into his back three times. She then whipped out her shotgun, blasting several bullets before grabbing the next sword that I assumed the Herd found before.

"Don't give up, guys!" Tails shouted as he assisted me and Elise in our fight. He flew up towards Jasper and used his signature tails to attack him. I knew that this was the first ghost that he and Shadow had seen, since they arrived not long ago. But deep down, I felt like ... there were more waiting for us.

Our asssliant decided to float away for a while, probably to regain some his energy. Megan wasn't going to let him as she sprinted after him with Elise and I in tow.

"GET BACK HERE!" She roared furiously, pumping more and more bullets from her shotgun into him.

"Hey YOU!" I shouted at Jasper, tauntingly. "Don't you want to have a little fun with us?!"

As if to answer my question, the ghost turned round and delivered a severe blow to Elise by whacking her with his weapon. She fell to the ground with a groan of pain, struggling to pull herself back up. "Argh..!"

I noticed what happened and immediately scooped her up into my arms, running to a nearby spot for her safety. "You're welcome." I quickly said as I sprinted back to help Megan in fighting Jasper. Manny and Diego had also jumped in to help with Buck stabbing the ghost several times with his knife.

"Keep going!" The weasel screamed as he continued the action. "Not long now!"

We didn't know how long we were there, defending ourselves against our threat. Unfortunatley, both Megan and I gained more wounds on our chests and abdomen. But it turns out, Buck was right. We didn't have that long until the chance was there to finish the ghost off. Eventually, Jasper fell to the ground, just like how our previous assailant did before. Taking the opportunity, my young friend grabbed the sword and plunged it deep into him with a mighty grunt. His flames died as he remained there, gurgling as he struggled to free himself.

"Is everyone okay?!" Manny asked with concern, after a long moment of silence.

There were positive answers lingering between Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others. Although ... Bad news, Megan wasn't doing so well and neither was I. The two of us were staggering here and there in desperate attempts to prevent ourselves from falling down.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Elise cried as she ran over to assist us. "Manny, we gotta help these two!"

"Oh no, not again!" Flynn yelled with concern lacing his tone. "Let's get back to the orphanage, quickly!"

But just as we took our first few steps, I collasped to the ground, realising that darkness was taking over my vision as I fell unconscious. Breathing heavily and lightly wheezing, I adjusted my gaze to Megan with worry washing over me. She was lying on the grass too and in much worse shape than I was.

"Guys..." The girl winced painfully as she whispered that one word.

Without hesitation, I reached out to grab her hand and looking at all of my friends who were struck with fear. The last thing we both heard were our names being screamed out before our eyes drifted down, letting the pitch black darkness take over.

_No, I promised my friends I'd help them! Chaos, they better be alright..._


	37. Chapter 37: Ambushed

QAN: Hey guys, how's it going? Um, there's quite a bit for me to say here, uh, I did originally have a rewrite for this but I decided to delete it and bring the orignal back, because... I don't know if I can make the story better. :(

Anyways, feel free to leave a review and hope y'all enjoy Chapter 37! :)

* * *

**Chapter 37: Ambushed**

**S-****M**

"_Mum...?_"

"_Yes, sweetheart...?_"

"_Um, this is gonna sound really weird. But...do you think Sonic and the Herd are ... real? Like they're somewhere out there in the world...?_"

"_That would be awesome if they were. But, who knows? Maybe one day, we might run into them._"

"_Yeah, that would be pretty cool._"

...

Ah, I remembered that conversation too well. I was 14 years old at the time, and we were just returning home from a long day at school. Ever since then, I always had dreams about meeting my idols, especially Team Sonic. Sometimes we'd head out to Soleanna or Apotos and just ... have a great time, enjoying each other's company. Though I felt disappointed every time I woke up, I knew there was a slight chance that Sonic and the Herd were living among our society.

_Anyways, back to our journey._

I was instantly jolted awake by several voices screaming. Frantically pulling myself up to my feet, I noticed that my friends and I were in a circular room with the halo of the sun plastered on the brown, murky walls. Elise, Tails and Shadow were repeatedly throwing themselves against the only exit which happened to be locked. Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the Herd were shouting fearfully about what their plan of attack was going to be. I sprinted up to the door and pushed my way through. Just one glance through the peephole was enough to send me into rage mode.

Outside. Sonic, Manny, Sid and Diego. A cold and foggy area with water rushing through a square surrounding the room we were stuck in.

The man in the coat. Brutally assaulting them. _NO!_

With a mighty grunt, I kicked down our only exit and let out a cry of anger, lunging towards the man with my knife poised, ready to attack.

"MEGAN, NO!"

"KID, GET BACK! HE'S DANGEROUS!"

_Guys, I know he's a threat. But, I'm not gonna let that stop me from finding out where he took my mother!_

I ignored Elise and Shadow's screams. I plunged my knife deep into the man's shoulder three times as Sonic struggled to pull himself up to his feet. But then, something shocking happened. Our attacker grabbed my wrist and twisted it roughly, forcing me to drop my knife and scream painfully. He then pulled me towards him and delievered a severe blow to my stomach, sending me flying until my head hit the ground.

_Argh, damn it!_

"We meet once again, child." The man announced darkly, as he strolled over with his knife, intending to do something which seemed to be obvious. I quickly pulled myself up to my feet and aimed my pistol at him, placing my finger on the trigger.

"Where's my mother?" I demanded furiously, occasionally sending a concerned glance in Sonic and Manny's directions. "Tell me where she IS!"

"Hmph," Our attacker scoffed, advancing slowly towards me. "Why should I tell you..? You're just a pathetic child who deserves nothing in this world!"

Upon hearing those words, Sonic instantly stepped between us with his arms spread out. Sid and Diego also joined him, getting into their fighting stances in case the man decided to lunge towards me and do the worst. "For gods' sake," I hissed. "ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

A moment of silence dawned on us. The man began to stroke his chin in thought. It was ... kinda like he was actually going to consider telling me where my sweet and loving mother was. But, _no_. I was wrong. Instead, he let out a menacing cackle and threw a sharp knife right at my left shoulder, forcing a loud scream out of me once it plunged into it. "AUGH!"

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Elise shouted from where she was, aiming her revolver at the man with a sneer.

I began firing bullets non-stop at our attacker, wincing due to the horrible pain I felt in my shoulder. At first, it seemed like they hit him. But, he just laughed again and pushed Sonic, Sid and Diego out of my way, strolling up to me and grabbing me by the neck. I swear, he was almost invincible!

_And, that sucked. _

He then roughly turned me round so that I was in a choke-hold and faced my friends with a trumiphant smirk. I squirmed in his grasp, desperate to break free and join the ones I held close to my heart. "Argh ... Ugh ... Get off _me_!"

"Now, I have your precious child," The man cackled, grinning when he saw Sonic and Manny send worried looks in my direction. "There's nothing you can do to save her," Our assilant continued, grabbing his own pistol and pressing it to my temple, sending cold chills running down my spine. "As she belongs to _me_."

Hearing this, I struggled even harder to break free whilst Sonic curled himself up into a ball and performed a spin dash on the man. Which unfortunatley failed, since he got sent flying back to the ground. "Sonic, NO!" I screamed in fright as I desperatley thought of a plan to escape.

"Chaos, dude! If you want her, then you're going to have to go through me!" The blue blur taunted as he pulled himself up to his feet. Meanwhile, I suddenly came up with an idea. Thinking fast, I grabbed the knife and tugged, clenching my teeth to prevent myself from screaming. With a mighty grunt, I turned round and stabbed our assilant in the shoulder. Once, twice, thrice. I didn't even stop until he fell lifeless on the cold floor.

After that, there was just thick silence. I struggled to calm myself down, due to the encounter we just had. Was the man ... waiting for us here all this time..? Or was he—?

"Megan," Elise asked, slowly walking up to me with concern lacing her tone. "Are you okay...?"

Even though I wasn't, I forced a brave grin on my face to show that I was fine. "Yeah ... I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

Soon afterwards, we all gathered ourselves together and went through the large door waiting for us. I honestly didn't know where we were, but deep down, I had a feeling that we were going to encounter the next ghost a bit later. Cynthia and Jasper were out of the way, so that leaves ... four of them left.

_This is going to be fun. Not._

* * *

**QAN: Megan, you are one tough kid, you know that? I mean.., c'mon! You're like Ellie from 'The Last Of Us', only two years older!**

**Anyways, the Heroes are now in the Water Prison, which leaves, oh, two more worlds left. So, I guess it's not long until everyone finally find out where Megan's mother is. Yaaay!**

**Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all are enjoying this so far!**


	38. Chapter 38: Water Prison

**QAN: Hey guys, apologies for having not updated in some time. Revision at school is becoming even more tiring and I've had to stop writing for a while to focus on my exams which are starting next month. :( But anyways, hope you all enjoy Chapter 38 and I'll see you soon with the next few!**

* * *

**Chapter 38: Water Prison**

**M-T**

I ... wasn't really expecting that ambush to happen.

At first, we were all okay as we entered the next world but ... it just came out of the blue. Although, I gotta salute Megan for going in to help Sonic and those pre-historic animals. I wanted to help too but in the end, I saw that she had the upper-hand against the man who attacked. Maybe ... he was Walter Sullivan, like I suspected before Shadow and I ended up here in the otherworlds.

_We didn't know for sure, but we might get some hints soon. Who knows?_

Once we came out of the area, a circular path wrapping itself around the incredibly tall building greeted us. With the mammoth, Manny (I think it was) leading us, we were sure that everything was going to turn out fine.

"Hey Tails," My surrogate brother greeted cheerfully, jogging over to walk alongside me. "How you holding up?"

"I'm fine Sonic, no need to worry." I repiled, sending a huge grin in his direction. Though as I continued speaking, my grin was replaced with a confused frown. "But, I'm not really sure what kind of place this is,"

Upon hearing those words, Sonic frowned in thought. "I'd say it's some kind of water prison or something. Although, I'm sorry you and Shadow got stuck here,"

_At least, we know you're okay big bro..._

Meanwhile, I noticed that Elise was walking alongside Megan and engaging her in a conversation to keep her mind off the ambush. Sonic seemed to notice what was happening and we both couldn't help but smile at the two girls chatting away.

"They've been friends for a while now," My surrogate brother revealed to me. "To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if Elise decides to stay with us when we eventually get out of here."

I knew he was referring to the otherworlds and not just the water prison. Even though Shadow and I haven't been here for that long, we managed to get some idea of what happened to Sonic and his new friends. Just before the ambush, we heard that Megan was looking for her mother whom seemed to be quite nice, judging from what Elise told us. I felt really bad for the young girl and Shadow was sympathetic too. So we decided to help her in any way we could.

After a while, we entered the third floor and were greeted with a series of doors leading to small rooms in a circular formation. The walls and floor were painted in a murky brown colour and we all could hearing water dripping from above.

Elise sighed in disgust. "It's so damp and gross here!"

"I'm with you on that, Elise." Peaches repiled. "The sooner we get out, the better."

Megan decided to start looking in the cells for anything useful we could find. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could help us in the first cell. Just a single bed and a small window on the grey walls. Occasionally someone would walk past, covering the bright light for a brief second. Sid and the possums didn't like it, so we went out.

"Guys, why can't we be back home?!" Crash wanted to know, hiding behind his younger brother and shuddering in fright. "I—"

"Shut up, we'll be out of here soon." Diego interrupted, with annoyance lacing his tone.

We luckily managed to find a few first-aid kits, health drinks and ammo in the second and third cells but once again, we got nothing in the fourth one onwards. Eventually we arrived in a small room which had a ... hole carved into the floor?

_These worlds just get more and more strange._

"So, what are we going to do?" Sid asked as he took a seat on one of the benches that stood a few metres away from the door we entered.

"Um... We could continue looking around for suppiles?" Louis suggested hopefully.

"Or we can separate into two groups and do what wiener came up with?" Eddie repiled, earning a glare from the molehog. "I don't know, so I'm leaving it to everyone else to come up with any ideas."

Meanwhile, I sat down on the other bench next to Sonic, Shadow, Elise and Megan. I couldn't help but let Knuckles and Amy drift into my thoughts. One time we were having a walk in the park to keep our minds of Sonic's attack and the next, we wind up separated. I was really hoping that everything was going to be okay with them, but.. my big bro, friend and I wouldn't know until we eventually escape.

"I say we go for Louis' idea." Sonic said after a while, breaking the silence. "Eddie's one is pretty good too."

"Yeah," Megan repiled, nodding in agreement. "But, who's going with who?"

"Megan, you'll be with Sonic and his friends." Ellie answered. "Manny and I talked about it just earlier and here is how things will go. You guys are going to check out the lower levels whilst we explore the higher ones."

"Are you all okay with that?" Manny asked, giving us a look of concern.

One by one, Elise, Shadow, Sonic, Megan and I nodded to reveal that the plan was set. We were told that we would meet up back on the third floor after exploring the water prison for any supplies or weapons, which was perfectly fine.

My big bro decided to take the lead as he jumped into the hole, me being second whilst being followed by our other three friends.

_Hopefully, things will be okay soon._

**T-M**

It was a really long way down, I tell ya. And we were screaming our heads off as we fell seemingly towards our doom. Truth be told, I actually thought we were plummeting into a bottomless pit! But to my great relief, I was wrong about that.

Shadow was the first to land perfectly, whilst Sonic simply followed by landing with his face getting stuck in the ground. Now, normally I would have cracked a joke about a certain video game to do with our planet. But seeing as we were all trapped in the otherworlds, I knew it was a bad idea.

"Is everyone alright?" Tails asked, after we all pulled ourselves to our feet.

"Y-Yeah," I repiled as I helped Elise up. "How about you and the others?"

"I'm fine, let's just get this over with." Shadow muttered as he pulled Sonic out of his position which, like I said before, reminded me a lot of 'Unleashed'. I actually enjoyed playing that with my mum when I was about 9 years old. The only downer about it was that Chip was gone. I understood he had to look after the planet, but still ... it would be awesome to see him again. "Sonic, do you need some help there?" Elise asked, sneaking concerned glances at both him and me.

"N-Nope!" The blue hedgehog grunted as he pulled himself up to his feet and thanked Shadow. "I'm good."

_Well, alright then._

Once we all gathered ourselves together, we began to explore the basement and lower levels of the water prison. I knew our assaliant from earlier was still lurking around so I told myself that whatever happens, I'd jump in to protect my family and friends. Although, I began to wonder how my mother was doing. Whether she was okay or not, I didn't know. Maybe ... she was trapped somewhere or ... maybe, she managed to escape and happened to be looking for me right now.

_It seemed possible... I just needed to find out..._


	39. Chapter 39: Tender Sugar

QAN: Hi everyone, apologies for not having updated in some time. My exams are driving me crazy and I unfortunatley didn't get time for writing. :( Anyways, Chapter 39 is up and running, so 40 should be up very soon. :)

Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all are enjoying this so far!

* * *

**Chapter 39: Tender Sugar**

After what seemed like an hour of exploring the basement, we only found a small amount of suppiles. We still had the occasional threat of monsters lurking around, including this extremely weird one with _two_ faces, but the good thing was that we were there to help each other out if we needed it. All the while, I was hoping that our assailant from earlier wasn't after Manny and the Herd. They could handle themselves well in a fight, and that was one of the things I admired about them. But again, I wondered if they were okay whilst exploring rooms up on the higher floors.

_Well, sooner or later, we'll be able to find out._

During so, my friends had begun to notice some of the injuries I gained _way_ before our journey started, especially my broken nose. Looking back on that, I ... kinda wish I fought a lot harder than I did to get the 'Queen' of my school away from me. But, I was frightened at the same time so ... maybe if she targets me again, I'll be able to stand up for myself a lot better. I guess I kinda changed a lot since then and perhaps that was a good thing. My friends seemed to think so after I told them what happened, heh, heh.

_But still, it's always nice to have them around. To be honest, I actually don't know what things would be like if my journey went differently._

I knew I didn't have time to think about that, nor what could happen to us if we succeeded and made it out with my family. I had to save those thoughts for later, as I had something much more important to focus on. Tails and Shadow seemed really nice; the latter told me that he went through a similar struggle when he forgot his memories. Having played Adventure 2 and Shadow's video game when I was 12, I felt sympathetic for him due to what he had to go through. Although just like Mephiles, Black Doom was nearly at the top of my scary character list. The reason why is that both villians would give me nightmares 24/7 because of what they did to Sonic, Shadow and the others. Nowadays, the risk of having them was rare but they really put me off when I was a kid.

_Anyways..._

The five of us had just climbed up a rather tall ladder to find ourselves back on the third floor again. But this time, we were in the room that was behind the cells we explored when we first arrived. I was the first to reach the top, closely followed by Tails, Elise, Sonic and Shadow. The three adults decided to chat amongst themselves about what we were going to do next, whilst my new fox friend went to join me.

"Well, looks like we're back again." I muttered as I quickly re-adjusted my ponytail.

"Yeah," Tails agreed as he offered a friendly smile, which I returned. "How are things with you, Megan?"

Hearing this, I innocently shrugged. "I'm kinda running on fumes, but I'll live."

The two-tailed fox knew that I was referring to the injuries I gained more recently back in the subway station and forest. Thankfully most of them were healing nicely, which was good. But every once in a while, I can't help but wince in pain whenever I do things like fighting physically or bending down.

_Argh ... Once I get out of the otherworlds with my parents and friends, I really need to get myself together._

"Elise told me and Shadow about what happened back in our apartment building. And.., I just want to thank you for saving my big bro." Tails suddenly revealed, smiling softly at my shocked expression. "I really mean it."

For a moment, I was really suprised. My pre-historic friends were there at the same time, so they jumped in to assist me. I mean, shouldn't they get some credit too?! "I ... Y-You're welcome..." I stammered, trying to choose my words carefully. "But ... it wasn't just me. The Herd were there too..."

I returned Tails' smile to show that I wasn't mad, and he seemed to be alright with what he heard. I'm the sort of person who ... doesn't really like to be put first before others when compliments arrive, especially if another person or group is involved in the good deed. Again, it's just a part of who I am and I loathe the idea of being the sort of person who yells 'Look at me! I'm so cool!'. It ... It just doesn't sit well with me, you know...

"I've already thanked the Herd." Tails said after a while, sending relief flooding through me. "They seem like quite nice animals."

Hearing this, I smirked and allowed a small chuckle to escape my mouth. "What do you think of Manny, then?"

Tails sighed in slight furstration. "One thing I don't understand is that he's distant around beings he doesn't know. I mean, it's always nice to meet new people, right?"

"Yeah, you're right." I agreed, nodding to show that I believed him. "But.., he isn't always distant. When someone gets to know him, Manny's actually a really nice and caring guy. It ... just takes a while for him to get to that stage."

All the while, we had no idea that Sonic, Elise and Shadow were watching us with genuine amused smiles upon seeing us interacting with each other and bonding. Apart from Peaches and Louis, Tails was the only other animal my age who I encountered on our journey. It felt really nice talking to him, and our conversations just came naturally.

_Things seemed to be going well here... Pretty damn cool, if you ask me._

**M-E**

Upon seeing Megan and Tails spending time with each other, both Sonic and I couldn't help but grin at the sight. It was almost like ... they became friends instantly, even though I knew it would take a while for the young girl to grow more at ease around new people. Shadow seemed pleased too, wearing the smallest of smiles as he folded his arms in thought.

"So, what should we do now?" I asked, breaking the silence. "I mean, we had a look around the basement. Should we go back to our friends.. or continue on?"

"Well, it depends on wether they got there before us." Shadow answered, referring to the cell we exited from. "It's the only option I can think of, so I think we should go back."

Sonic nodded to show he agreed with the black and red hedgehog. "I'm with Shads on that one. But if we beat the Herd first, then we should probably head outside to find them." He then glanced at Megan (who was still happily chatting away with Tails) with gentle concern gracing his features. "Hopefully we might get some answers.."

I knew exactly what my blue friend meant. The man was still lurking somewhere in the prison and due to his speech earlier, he knew where Megan's mother was. I didn't want things to become worse and ... the thought of our young friend ... losing those she held close was terrifying. Her father was trapped here with us and even though we didn't know his whereabouts, I hoped that he was okay too.

_..But hey, maybe he was somewhere in the prison, looking for his wife and daughter..._

"Hey Tails! Megan!" Sonic shouted, catching their attention and snapping me back to reality. "Time for us to go!"

"Okay!" The two kids repiled, sending each other friendly grins as they joined up with us. Soon we were back down in the basement, this time, heading back to our meeting point. Unfortunately, the Herd weren't there so we braced ourselves for what we had to do next. One by one, my friends and I stepped outside into the cold fog and began the search for our pre-historic companions, knowing that there was a risk of getting ambushed by our assailant.

_..Still, we may find some answers for Megan. I hope we do..._


	40. Chapter 40: Underground Dawn

QAN: Hey guys, just a quick one here. Thankfully, I have one exam left so.. I'll be able to have more time for writing. I do apologise if this chapter looks a little rushed as I've been studying 24/7. :( Anyways, 41 should be up soon, so I'll keep you all updated. :)

Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 40: Underground Dawn**

_(Two hours later...)_

**E-S**

Well, we did try to find the Herd and so far, we didn't have any good news. Unfortunately, we got ambushed by Walter twice whilst searching for our pre-historic friends. Both times Megan attempted to get answers on where her mother was, but he _just _wouldn't tell her! Elise, Tails, Shadow and I also tried to force him to give in ... and guess what? He wouldn't tell us either. Despite not succeeding the first time, I knew that we would get the answers we were looking for soon. I wasn't going to let anything stop us, and I promised Megan I'd help her.

The five of us were now back in the basement, continuing on with our search. It was heavily quiet down there, that you could almost hear a pin drop! The walls were a murky brown and the stairs were a dirty copper metal, similar to the long path outside which wove its' way around the building. Occasionally, a group of toadstools would pop out of the floor, stopping us in our tracks. Although good news, we only had to take a few of them out before progressing further.

_Like I said before, I love adventuring and you never know what surprises will show up._

Meanwhile, I couldn't help but let Knux and Ames drift into my thoughts. Since Megan and I met up with my little bro and Shads back in the forest, I wondered about how they were doing without us around. We all knew I was still out for the count after getting attacked but ... Megan, Elise and I didn't know how Tails and Shadow ended up in the freaky worlds. Wether they discovered like a.. secret portal or something, I'm not sure.

_But hey, at least we know they're alright!_

"Ah.., screw it." Megan muttered after a while, snapping me back to reality. "I'm gonna call the Herd and see where they are."

Upon hearing her words, both Elise and Shadow nodded to show they thought that was a good idea, whilst Tails and I threw huge grins in her direction. The young girl then brought her wrist decently close to her face and spoke into her communicator radio, grinning back at us as she did so. "Manny, Diego, Ellie? This is Megan, can anyone hear me?"

We all braced ourselves to hear a reply back. I wasn't the only one beginning to think that something bad had happened to our friends, as Tails was exchanging worried glances with me. Letting my brotherly instincts come in, I ruffled his hair and gave a cheery smile to tell him that everything was going to be fine. My little bro chuckled slightly as he returned my gaze with a huge smile of his own.

"_Yes I__ hear you, Megan. You okay?_"

I tell ya, it really put a smile on my face to see our young friend filled with relief and happiness. Diego also seemed relieved upon finding out that we were doing just fine. Just faintly, we could hear Shira, Peaches and Louis talking in the background as the male smilodon spoke, indicating that they too had been worried about us. Megan did small jumps of excitement to show how she felt and I couldn't resist chuckling.

"Yeah, everything's fine." The young girl repiled, eventually calming down. "Where abouts are you guys?"

"_We're in the basement right now. We, er, we tried to get answers on your parents' whereabouts, but.. we didn't get anything. I'm sorry.._"

"..that's okay," Megan reassured Diego, trying to take her mind off what happened two hours ago with Walter. "We tried to do the same thing and it didn't go very well unfortunatley..." The brunette kid's eyes then brightened as she allowed more words to spill. "Hey, we're in the basement too, so.. do you guys want to meet up?"

"_Yeah sure. Meet us in the centre and we'll go from there._"

"On our way, Diego. Glad to hear you guys are okay." Our young friend repiled, walking ahead and gesturing for us to follow. I gotta say, I actually found it hard to believe that Megan came so far and hasn't given up hope yet! Sure, Elise and I weren't there for the majority of her journey but still...

_She's literally one of the bravest kids I ever met._

As the five of us made our way to the centre of the basement, an uneasy feeling began to overwhelm me. It ... almost reminded me that something was going to prevent us from leaving the water prison, most likely victim 18. Judging from what Elise told us, this one apparently used to be a guard here. I didn't know how my friend managed to get that information, so.. I decided to guess that someone from the afterlife filled her in. I was ready to protect my friends at all costs. The only thing our ghost attacker had to do was come out and reveal himself.

_From the looks of it, he probably wants to scare us. Bring it on!_

"Hey Megan," Tails said after a while, breaking the silence. "Who do you think will be the next ghost, after this one?"

"I.., um.., I think it's ..." The young girl tried to reply, but couldn't seem to find the right words. "Y'know what, let's just say it's someone who I sometimes ran into. We ... we didn't get along very well, probably because he wasn't a fan of those our age and younger." Megan gave a small sigh afterwards, indicating that she didn't want to remember the person she was telling us about. I understood completely, as she told me about a friend of hers' not too long ago, Eileen.. I think it was. Poor girl... Been through a really rough ride.

Being the friendly hedgehog I always was, I racked my brains for something I could do to see Megan brighten up and be in a positive mood. Both Tails and Elise were trying to think too as they began whispering to each other about it, deciding what would be the best thing to make the young girl smile. Eventually, an idea made its' way into my head and I couldn't help but grin.

_I mean, it sounded good. Let's just hope we get a positive result._

Unfortunatley before I could do it, a series of loud and excited voices filled the hallway. Knowing full well who they belonged to, we all instantly began to speed up with me overtaking Megan, Tails, Elise and Shadow.

"Ugh ... They said they'd meet us here, where are they?!"

"Crash, stop complaining! Sonic's probably running around the prison, doing what he does best."

_Hey, I'm running straight for you guys!_

Almost as if they heard my thoughts, Manny, Diego, Peaches and everyone else all turned to see us sprinting up to them. I quickly flashed the possums my trademark grin whilst Megan waved excitedly towards the teenage mammoth, the latter literally glomping her once we all met up.

"Thank goodness you're okay, Megs!" Peaches cried happily, prompting our human friend to giggle as she retuned the embrace. "I was worried sick about you!"

"Hey.., it's alright." The brunette kid reassured her, eventually pulling away. "It will take a lot more than a random dude to stop me. Besides"- Megan threw a grin in mine and Tails' directions, not forgetting Elise and Shadow. -"I got these cool guys backing me up."

"Well like I promised," I stepped in, winking and giving her a thumbs-up. "We'll help you out until the end."

_And I never break them._

Suddenly, our pleasant meeting was interrupted by a familar sound coming from my medallion. We all knew what it meant and I tell ya, it was not a good thing. A flash of chalk white whizzed past us, not giving us enough time to get a proper look. Things got even more uneasy when the heavy silence was replaced by a low sing-song voice.

"_Prepaaare for the Rituaaal of the Holy Assumption …_"

We couldn't really make out what it was saying at first but after listening harder, we were able to hear some of the passages clearly. I immediately grabbed Tails and Megan, bringing them both behind me protectively as we prepared ourselves for the fight. Eventually, the owner of the singing voice revealed himself and it was none other than the next ghost on our list, Andrew DeSalvo.

"Guys, get ready!" Manny shouted fearfully, stepping in front of us.

"That's my middle name, dude!" I repiled, keeping an eye on our assaliant as I kept my little bro and friend close.

_Let's do this!_


	41. Chapter 41: Andrew DeSalvo

**Chapter 41: Andrew DeSalvo**

**S-M**

"_Offer the blooood of the Ten Sinnerrrrs …_"

"_From the Daaaarkness and Vooooiid..._"

".._Briiiiinnng__ fooooorth Glooooom..._"

The ghost we were facing right now, Andrew, looked slightly disturbing. His skin was a really bright white with the numbers 18/21 written on his stomach. He only wore a pair of dark ripped jeans and regular shoes, whilst the ghost's frame was rather large unlike Cynthia and Jasper. As I aimed my pistol at him, I couldn't help but grimace at the way he sang. He seemed to dance a little which freaked us out even more.

_This one terrified me. And I had a feeling that the next one was going to be more horrifying, considering I ran into him several times before hearing about Eileen's death.._

My knuckles had turned white as I managed to pull the trigger, sending bullets whizzing past my friends until they hit Andrew. The latter fell back slightly, stunned from the impact and giving us the opportunity to attack him. Elise and Shadow also began firing bullets non-stop whilst Diego jumped in front of us, baring his fangs and snarling.

"Did you guys get the next sword?!" Tails asked as he got his signature tails working, flying decently close to the ghost and delivering a series of blows which mildly weakened Andrew. I continued pumping bullets into our opponent, not realising that intense pain was beginning to build up in my head. It ... almost reminded me of the first time I saw Cynthia in those visions, right before this adventure started.

_Looking back on that, I had a gut feeling that our lives were about to go downhill soon._

"Yeah, we did!" Buck shouted as Flynn threw the sword for me to catch, which I managed to do. "Here!"

Throwing a thumbs-up in their directions to thank them, I pulled out my shotgun and continued firing, since I was nearly out of pistol ammo. Truth be told, I was pleasantly surprised when Shadow gave me some extra bullets so I offered a small grin to show my appreciation. Meanwhile, Sonic curled himself up into a ball and performed three spin-dashes on Andrew in an attempt to weaken him. The good news was that it worked, but the bad news...

_A nasty trick was hidden up his sleeve, or arm I should say._

Just seconds after pulling himself together, the ghost pulled off something that we _literally_ didn't see coming. A massive surge of pain flooded through my body as I was sent flying to the steel floor, followed by Sonic and Tails. Apparently, Andrew could curl up into a ball and roll into us at an extremely fast pace! Truth be told, I was expecting him to be like Cynthia and Jasper. But, no. He had to go and perform that horrible trick of his.

_It is on, mate. You asked for it._

Struggling to prevent an outburst from occuring, I decided to take a risk and whack our opponent hard with my firearm, just as I had done before. I knew that my headache would gradually become worse, but the blows were weakening him too. Manny and Peaches joined me and whacked Andrew with their trunks, whilst Sonic performed two homing attacks on him. Suddenly, the ghost got up really close to me and started to furiously rake his fingers over my right shoulder and chest, forcing a pained scream out of me.

"_Get off HER!_"

Just seconds before my vision began to darken, Andrew's grip loosened as the blue blur jumped onto his back in an attempt to pull him away. I fell to the floor with a hard thud and instantly cupped my left hand to my shoulder to stem the bleeding. Elise noticed this and quickly knelt beside me, grabbing my hand and pulling me back up.

"Keep fighting, Megan!" She said reassuringly as she wrapped an arm round my tiny frame, keeping me close as she continued pumping bullets from her revolver. "When this is done, we're getting you cleaned up!"

My chest was even worse than my shoulder. Believe me, I still wanted to help fight Andrew. But due to state I was now in, I realised that I couldn't do a lot. And that definitely sent my spirits falling down. Upon raising my pistol (which I managed to reload before the incident), I saw that my hand was shaking as I squeezed the trigger twice. Shadow was looking at me with concern overwhelming him and took the sword we were going to pin our attacker with. "Kid, I'll finish the job for you. Just keep going, alright?!"

"G-Got it..." I weakly repiled, offering the smallest of smiles to give my thanks.

"_Seeeeparate from the flesh too... She who is the Mother Rebooooorn... And he who is the Receeeeiiiveerr of Wisdooom..._"

The minutes that followed were a complete blur. Looking back on this, I couldn't remember constantly firing my gun and engaging Andrew physically whenever Sonic or any of my other friends got injuried. I couldn't remember Elise holding me tightly against her, making sure that I was still going strong. I even couldn't remember Sonic and Manny nearly ending up in the same state I was in.

_I felt terrible about it ... because there wasn't anything I could do to help those I loved._

**M-S**

_Being injured stinks, I'll tell you that._

Right now, I was worried about Tails and Megan. My little bro wasn't heavily wounded thankfully, but our young friend ... I've never seen her in such a terrible state before until now. She did have a small moment back when she told me about her mother, but... I really wanted to do something to make her feel better and force the pain to leave.

_My injury wasn't as heavy as Megan's, but it was getting close to that stage._

Although, a small glimmer of hope began to flood through me as I realised that Andrew was close to going down for good. We all stuck together as a group and continued defending each other, right until the ghost's energy completely ran out. With a shrill scream, he fell to the ground at a slow pace allowing Shads to pin him with our sword, which he did.

Thick silence came afterwards. Noticing that I was injured, Tails instantly ran up to me and took my arm, wrapping it around his shoulder and letting me lean against him. "Oh, thanks Tails.." I said to my little bro, sending a slightly weak grin in his direction. He grinned back to say: "Always happy to help." as he glanced at Megan with a concerned look crossing his features.

"Guys, c'mon!" Peaches shouted in a worried manner. "Let's get out of here and find the next world!"

I kept my eyes on Megan as we walked, feeling grateful that Elise was there to look after her. But my happiness turned to shock as the young girl collasped to the ground with a heavy thud and a pained gasp. "Nonono_NO_!" Our deceased friend yelled, kneeling down besides her. "Chaos.." I muttered worriedly as I clutched my wound, also dropping to my knees.

"Megan, stay with us! We've made it _this __far_! Don't you dare leave us!" Shira cried, looking at Diego who was just as shocked.

Tails was shaking the young girl like mad, begging her to be okay. Squeezing my eyes shut for a second, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, whilst placing a hand on Elise's in an attempt to calm them both down. Megan was going to have to rest for a while, so we were going to do all we could to look after her. Kiddo, I know you're strong. Keep fighting the best you can, and come back to us!

_We all believe in you!_


	42. Chapter 42: Basement Dwellers

**Chapter 42: Basement Dwellers**

**S-E**

_(One hour later, Building World...)_

The thought of watching an innocent and pure child getting horrifically injured like that disturbed me. I kept scolding myself for not pushing Megan out of the way when Andrew repeatedly raked his fingers across her shoulder and chest, creating deep and painful wounds. I ... I thought she was dying when she collasped the the floor, passing out as she did so. Megan probably would have perished if we weren't around..

_We weren't going to let her die... She still needed to be reunited with her parents!_

After fighting past a large group of twin-victims blocking our exit, we managed to get out of the water prison. My friends and I wasted no time in descending the spiral staircase and arriving into the next world. To be honest, I was expecting to it to be an otherworld version of our young friend's school or my kingdom. But actually, the next world turned out to be something different. Buildings of all sizes crowded narrow pathways with monsters roaming within, revealing itself as a large abandoned hotel.

Sonic, Tails, Shadow, the Herd and I managed to find a safe spot which was a small bar, close to our exit. It looked rather decent with a table and set of chairs on the left side. But on the right, there was a white door and hole punchared besides it. We were glad to see that there was a mattress and two blankets close to the exit, otherwise Megan would've had to sleep on the wooden floor. That certainly didn't brighten my spirits as I wanted to make sure that our young friend would come back kicking soon enough.

_First of all, we needed to find some antibiotics and a first-aid kit to treat her injuries._

Right now, I was exploring our surroundings with Sonic, Tails and Manny in an attempt to recover the objects before the man in the blue coat did. One thing we all learned about him, was that he'd do anything to keep us from accomplishing our goal. Shockingly, we didn't run into him during our search. Whether he was still hiding in the water prison or travelling to a different otherworld, I don't know.

_But thankfully, Sonic and Manny healed their wounds quickly, which was good._

"Have you guys found anything?" I asked as I kneeled fown to scavenge through a small box standing near an elevator. I'll admit, the temperatures here weren't particulary pleasant since it was rather cold, almost reminding me of my adventure with my blue friend. Silent Hill was a place I wanted to forget about and I knew I wasn't alone in thinking that way, since.. Sonic, Megan and the Herd have been on adventures there too.

_I couldn't blame them at all._

"Not yet," The mammoth repiled as he walked over to help Tails. "How about you?"

"Same..." I repiled quietly as I pulled myself up to my feet. "Hey, we should try using that elevator and see what we can find on the floors above us."

Hearing this, Manny gave a nod whilst my blue and yellow friends sent huge grins in my direction to tell me that they thought that was a good idea. Once we entered the elevator, I quickly pressed a button and soon we were on our way up. As we waited, I couldn't help but let Megan drift into my thoughts.

She came so far from when we first met and I could definitely see that she changed from a shy little girl to a strong and capable one. That was one of the things I admired about her and we were going to do everything we could to make our young friend wear that bright and adorable smile again..

_Hold on Megs, we're still here for you..._

**E-M**

Once we exited the elevator, the four of us took in our surroundings quickly before continuing our search. Concern for my family instantly began to overwhelm me, as I really wanted to go back to the bar and be with them. But at the same time, I knew that they could handle themselves against a threat, no matter how big or small it may be. Although, I was worried about Megan too. She was just a kid and getting injured like that probably would have scarred her for a long time.

_If I got in and pushed her away from our assailant, maybe.. things would have been different..._

To be honest, I was rather glad that Sonic was the one who managed to get the ghost ... Andrew DeSalvo, I think it was, out of harm's way. Despite not having interacted with our blue friend much, I begun to develop some respect for him. Sonic was more than willing to protect those he held close, just like I did. My daughter told me excitedly about how fast he ran when we were back in the forest and.. I was rather impressed.

_Maybe ... Sonic and his friends weren't so bad after all..._

"Hey," I greeted the blue hedgehog with concern beginning to lace my tone. "You alright?"

"I'm okay.." He repiled, allowing his trademark smile to crease his cheeks. "I'm just thinking about what other adventures are waiting for us on the horizon.."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but chuckle as we walked. "You're a bit of an adventure guy, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah!" Sonic said enthusiastically, making Tails and Elise grin. "I love travelling around the world and meeting new people, it's who I am."

"So, what would you guys do?" I asked curiously. Normally I wouldn't be doing this but ..., the things that our blue friend did with his family seemed a little interesting. One time during the forest, the princess told me about.. him saving the planet seven years ago. She wasn't with Sonic when it occured, but when Sid asked how she knew, Elise repiled that he told her everything after.. they remembered each other.

Ellie, Diego, Shira and everyone else in my herd were curious about the blue hedgehog's adventures too. Maybe one day.. after we've escaped, Sonic could tell us more about what he, Tails, Shadow and their friends did. I guess, it would be quite nice to know..

"There's this.. guy who I've been fighting my whole life. He'd often create a scheme to take over the planet and build his own empire but, my friends and I always managed to stop him." Our blue friend began, ruffling Tails' hair as he spoke. "We haven't seen him in a while, which.. is a bit weird, since he doesn't usually take long to put a new plan in action.."

"Yeah," Tails agreed, keeping an eye out for any signs of first-aid kits or the antibiotics we needed. "His name's Eggman, by the way."

"I see," I said after a while, taking all of the information in. "My family and I don't really go on adventures much.. but the last time we did, there was a.. continental drift that separated us."

Hearing this, Elise gasped whilst Sonic and the young two-tailed fox gave me worried looks. "Man..." The latter murmured. "That must have be rather intense..."

I gave a small nod, trying to fight back memories. To this day, I remembered everything, even events that occured before we fought Gutt and his pirates. Returning Pinky to his father, meeting Ellie and the possums whilst escaping the flood, searching for Sid in a new world filled with dinosaurs, the continental drift and now this.

_We've all been through things, both good and bad. I guess, they've brought us closer in a way..._

Suddenly, I was snapped back to reality when Sonic and Elise both shouted something with excitement lacing their tones. Knowing exactly what it was, Tails and I rushed over to them and our faces lit up when we discovered that they found what we needed.

"Brilliant!" I said, feeling relieved. "We should head back now and see how everyone's doing."

"That sounds good to me." The princess repiled, nodding excitedly as she picked the items up and turned to beckon her two friends to follow us. But something.. seemed to be off. "Guys?"

The blue hedgehog and two-tailed fox stood a few metres away from us, staring ahead with wide eyes. I ... I didn't understand what was happening, so I called out to them. "Hey! We've found we need, let's go!"

"Wait..," Elise interrupted after a short silence. "I.. I don't think we're the only ones here."

I gave her a look of confusion, still not understanding what was going on. But then, it gradually came to me. Just a few feet away from Sonic and Tails, were two other animals who behaved incredibly similar to them. A ... red echidna in his late 20s and.. a pink hedgehog in her early 20s? Truth be told, I actually thought it was just our two friends and the black-red one who were around. The strangers had also noticed and were looking at us with suprise overwhelming them. My instincts were telling me to get in front and protect my friends at all costs, but ... I then remembered what Megan said back at the hospital..., so I took a step back and decided to watch the scene unfold.

"Knuckles? Amy..?"

"Sonic...?"

_...Maybe.., they won't be so bad too... I hope my family's okay..._


	43. Chapter 43: Moments in Bed

**C****hapter 43: Moments in Bed**

**M-M**

_(Meanwhlie, at the safe house..)_

I ... How long was I out for? The last thing I remembered was falling to the ground with severe pain surging through my chest and shoulder. Thousands of questions flooded my head and I was slowly becoming more worried about my parents and friends. Were they okay? Where were we now? ...I needed to recover and find out. Fast.

"_Megan..._"

Wait... Mum? Mum, is that you?!

"_Please don't__ worry about me... Go.. Go on without me..._"

No, screw that! I'm not leaving you and Dad behind!

I was in the same dark abyss from before only this time, things were different. I could see two figures standing not too far away from me, one engulfed in a bright light. A dark haired woman in her early 40s wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt with darker jeans and black boots. Standing in front of her was someone who we both knew very well; a slightly younger man with the same hair colour as mine and dressed in a bloodied white long-sleeved shirt, normal jeans and work shoes. I could tell that he went through a rough ride, due to the number of bruises that were dotted on his face and neck. I recognised them both instantly ... and my heart was _literally _jumping with joy!

_I found them!_

"MUM! DAD!" I shrieked happily, sprinting as fast as my legs could carry me. My body was aching even more due to the injuries I recieved, but I was _so _overwhelmed with positive emotions.. I finally found my parents! And they were okay!

_Although looking back on this, ...I should have known that it wasn't real... _

Unfortunatley as I got closer, something terrible began to occur. At first, I didn't know why my mother was surrounded by the light, but.. it gradually came to me. She was disappearing from mine and Dad's eyes, staring at the two of us with sadness overwhelming her. My breathing became heavy with panic surging through me, as I did everything I could to stop her from fading away. W-W-_Why was this happening?!_

"_Please go..._" Mum begged, tearfully. "_Don't worry about me..._"

"Please don't say that," My father repiled, feeling just as desperate as I was. "Tell us where you are, and we'll come get you out!"

"Dad's right; we're not leaving you!" I cried, not realising that my eyes were welling up with my voice cracking. "We ... W-We love you... and we're_ not_ leaving you behind!"

As those words left my mouth, my mother had disappeared completely, influencing me to scream out desperatley for her, one last time...

"_MUM!_"

...

"_Megan, WAKE UP!_"

My eyes snapped open as I let out a panicked gasp. What I just saw ... It ... It felt _so real_... The only strange thing about it was the bright light engulfing my sweet and caring mum, but ... it felt so damn real. I didn't know my dad's whereabouts but judging from what occured, he was possibly nearby. Maybe.. after I recover, we'll cross paths with him. The thought calmed me down as we were really close. Dad would sometimes join me and my mum in playing Sonic's games, including Unleashed. Hopefully I might see my parents again...

_I love them and the rest of my family.. They mean the world to me.._

Truth be told, I had a feeling that my friends and I were no longer in the water prison. And turns out, I was right. We were sat in a room which seemed to be a bar abandoned ages ago. Ellie, Peaches and the others eyed me with concern written on their faces, even Buck and Flynn who I unfortunatley didn't get the chance to interact with a lot throughout our journey. My throat was hurting like hell, so much that I had to press my hand against it to stop the pain from getting worse.

"Hey, kid," A familar voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Glad to see you awake. You okay?"

Slightly wheezing in agony thanks to my injuries, I slowly turned to see Shadow looking at me with slight worry overwhelming him. Diego and Shira sat a metres close to me and were just as concerned as everyone else was. I shook my head to say no, due to the vision/nightmare I had whilst I was unconscious. Whilst I took in my surroundings, I noticed that Sonic, Elise, Tails and Manny weren't with us in the room. But when Shira told me they went to get some antibiotics, I knew they were going to be alright. "What happened ... whilst I was out?" I croaked.

Hearing this, Diego gave a small sigh. "Well.., we managed to get here quite easily but.. we haven't seen the next ghost yet."

"O-Okay, t-that's fine.." I managed to reply, trying to stop myself from wheezing in pain. "Hey..," Shira murmured, with concern lacing her tone. "Would you ... like to talk to us about your nightmare? Maybe we could help you find out what it meant.."

"S-S-Sure..." I repiled after struggling to form the right words, being careful not to give my throat more pain by speaking at a slow pace. "I.., um, I.. saw my parents ... My mum had this ... really bright light surrounding her and ... she was disappearing, although my dad wasn't.. I don't know why, but ... I think it was trying to tell me something.. That ... one of us might not make it out..."

To be honest, I was incredibly frightened that I could end up losing my parents in this mess. If I did, then ... I have no idea what I'll do. They'd want me to live life to the fullest in the time I have and I'd do it, but ... I'm not sure about how I'd cope...

_Sometimes, we have to move on from events like that... I just hope that I'm going to get to my parents on time..._

"I think ... it could be a sign that we're getting close to finding out where they are," The female smilodon said, giving me a small smile in an attempt to make me feel better. "But, don't worry. We won't let the man kill your family.."

"Face it, kid." Shadow added, nodding. "Whatever happens, you're stuck with us."

As glad as I was to see everyone in good spirits, I couldn't help but let Sonic and the others drift into my thoughts. I knew that they'd be able to handle themselves in a fight, and that was one if the things I admired about them. Maybe.. they ran into some people.. Suddenly, as if my thoughts were heard, they opened the bar's front door and came through, one by one.

"Hey guys, we're back!" Sonic called out, walking over to us followed by Tails, Elise and ... Amy? She and Knuckles are here?! "Sorry that we took long." Our two-tailed fox friend apologised, casting worried looks at me every so often.

"Don't worry about it, kid." Diego responded, giving our two-failed friend a nod and a smile. "You guys are right on time, too."

I had a couple of guesses on what was going to happen next. Another thing you should know about me is that.. I was born premature and ... I wasn't supposed to survive due to how early I came. Because of this, I sometimes get terrified when I have needles put in due to having so many before. Nowadays, I can handle them decently but.. a part of me is still scared of them.

_When there's no need to be._

"Hey Megs," Elise addressed me in an affectionate manner, slightly freaking me out at first. Megs, huh? That's a new one. "I'm going to have to inject some penicillin into your wounds, so could you take off your jacket for me?"

Struggling to prevent myself from shaking, I did what my deceased friend asked me to. Upon gazing at my injuries, I had to swallow back vomit to avoid throwing up. It was ... ugh! I didn't want to say it. "Okay," She continued, preparing for what was about to occur. "Sonic and Tails are going to talk you whilst I do this, all right? This is gonna hurt."

The blue blur and young fox sat down next to me and began telling me stories about their adventures in Station Square, Spagonia, Soleanna and all of the other places they've been to. Knuckles and Amy stood a few feet away from us and the latter sent a friendly smile in my direction, which I weakly managed to return. Despite letting out a pained cry due to the injections, I.. felt rather safe with my friends.. I know it might sound weird, but.. maybe they've become family to me?

_I didn't know about the family part, but they're like ... the nicest beings I ever met._

"Sorry..." Elise whispered as I gradually relaxed, calming my breathing. "All done. That's it."

"Hey, hey! You're gonna make it, kiddo," Sonic reassured me, placing a cool hand on my forehead for a brief moment.

After being injected with the medicine, I put my jacket back on and continued to rest in my makeshift bed, watching my friends interact with each other. Elise, Amy and our blue friend decided to stay and chat to me, which was perfectly fine. I didn't mind having people to talk to whilst recovering besides, it's really nice to bond with those you meet.. That way, you know you have someone you can rely on and spend time with.

_I think ... that's happened to us. Like Manny said once, you look out for each other..._


	44. Chapter 44: Richard Braintree

QAN: Hey guys, sorry for not having updated in quite some time. I'm now in college and I have a busier schedule, so updates may be less frequent. I also aplogise if this chapter appears rushed, as I feel like this one is weaker than the others. If I manage to get some time, I'll try and put some adjustments into it and make it better. :(

Thank you for the support so far, feel free to leave a review and hope y'all enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter 44: Richard Braintree**

**M-E**

_(A few minutes later, South side of Building World...)_

I'll admit, I was rather suprised to see Knuckles and Amy arrive in the otherworlds, even though I had a feeling that they were soon going to join us after we ran into Tails and Shadow back at Wish House Orphanage. The six of us did have to deal with a couple of monsters on our way to the safe house, but we managed to tell our two friends what we've been through; meeting Megan and the Herd, exploring different places, taking down Cynthia, Jasper and Andrew, everything that occured since Sonic got rescued back in his apartment and taken to St. Jerome's Hospital.

_Even though the majority of us weren't there earlier, I think ... our adventure has brought us and our new friends closer, as if we were slowly becoming a family._

My relationship with Megan has strengthened quite a lot since we reunited. It was almost like ... we became more comfortable at the thought of seeing each other as siblings. She could come to me if something dampened her spirits and I could talk to her if I felt down. It felt nice looking after someone younger than myself, and ... I'm really glad that I got to know Sonic, Megan and their friends in the time I did.

Right now, a small group of us were on our way out to take down the next ghost. Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others decided to stay behind in order to make sure that Megan recovered well, whilst Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow came along to help. Manny, Sid and Diego also volunteered to assist us in what we planned to do. The sooner we all manage to finish our opponent off, the better.

"So, what's the plan here?" Sid asked as we scanned our surroundings.

"We find the ghost and make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble," Shadow responded, keeping a tight grip on his pistol whilst searching the area. Sonic and Tails stood beside me and Amy, preparing themselves for what was about to occur. Soon enough, our saint medallions began to hum, indicating that our opponent was nearby.

_Here we go..._

Standing on a platform that was a _long _way up from us, was Richard Braintree. Due to what Megan told me a while ago, this guy didn't like children and always got angry whenever he ran into them. As a ghost, he looked ... really disturbing. He had the numbers 19/21 written on his forehead, his outfit was singed and his skin was a dark grey colour. Judging from how he looked, the cause of his death was most likely electrocution. Even though we didn't like him, that ... was a shocking way for someone to die. My friends and I prepared ourselves for Richard to make the first move, and he did by doing something we _literally _didn't see coming.

"WHAT?! He just decided to fall off!" Sid yelled in a startled manner.

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out sloth!" Knuckles sneered in reply.

I snuck a glance at Amy, watching as she took a tight hold of her Piko-Piko hammer and glaring at the ghost who hit the ground with a hard thud. Suprisenly, he didn't sustain any injuries and pulled himself up to his feet with little difficulty.

"Guys, get ready!" Manny called out, nervously.

If Megan was here, she would be the one to strike our opponent first. Aiming my revolver at Richard, I began firing bullets whilst Sonic curled himself up into a ball and performed several homing attacks on the ghost. I was glad that we found the next sword of obedience earlier, otherwise we would all be in great danger if the nine of us didn't.

Our opponent was rather different than the three ghosts we encountered so far; he walked instead of floating and had some ... strange abilities, I'll admit. He swung his rusty pipe again and again, faster and faster. He _just _didn't stop! Whenever Amy, Manny, Diego or Knuckles tried to fight him physically, the ghost would disappear and teleport to another side of the area. From that point on, we all knew this guy was going to be a lot harder to finish off.

"Chaos, he's even worse than Jasper!" Sonic yelled, referring to the fight back in the forest.

"We know that, faker! Just keep fighting!" Shadow snarled as he continued to fire bullets into the ghost.

_Will you all please stop bickering?!_

Suddenly, I felt a sharp sting build up in my cheeks as Richard teleported up to me and delievered a severe blow with his pipe, sending me falling to the ground with a startled yelp. "Argh!"

Amy saw what occured and swung her hammer towards our opponent, forcing him to stumble back and scream in pain once my friend's weapon connected with his jaw. She then ran over to me and extended a hand in an attempt to help me up. "Elise! You okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" I repiled, grabbing her hand and reloading my revolver. "We have bigger problems, though!"

As minutes turned into hours, Richard was slowly losing his energy and becoming weaker. Whilst my friends and I continued fighting him, Megan suddenly drifted into my thoughts. I hoped that nothing was going to happen to her and the others, but ... I had a horrible feeling that they were in trouble. My head suddenly started throbbing in pain, leading me to realise what was coming. Soon, my surroundings went completely white as I was blinded by a vision once again.

...

A fight had broke out back at the safehouse. The man in the coat and nearly _ten _victim ghosts surrounded Ellie, Shira, Granny and Buck as they attempted to defend themselves against their opponents. Every one of our friends were focused on one thing; getting Megan, Peaches and Louis to safety. The three younger ones were cornered by the man and they knew that there was no way they were going to get out. Our injured human friend raised her knife and stood in front of her two friends protectively, shaking with fear.

"Well, well. We meet again, child." The man said in an oddly calm manner. "This time, you're not going to escape like how you did in the water prison. Besides, your parents are waiting for you..."

"YOU LEAVE MY DAUGHTER AND HER FRIENDS ALONE!" Ellie cried out, struggling to reach the two humans and pre-historic animals.

_They better not get kidnapped... They better not..._

"We'll never go anywhere with _you_!" Megan and Peaches both shouted as they furiously began defending themselves against the man who attempted to attack them. I wanted to snap out of my vision, I wanted to warn Sonic, Tails and the others, I wanted to go back to our hideout and I wanted to save our young friends from danger!

_But, I couldn't... Because if we went back now ... we'd be too late..._

My vision began fading away, just as the man blocked a blow from Megan, wrapped an arm around her neck and forced her to violently choke for air as she slowly fell unconscious. She wasn't the only one who was getting kidnapped...

_Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others were too..._

...

"He's almost down!"

I snapped back to reality, grimacing in pain as intense worry began to overwhelm me. Megan tried so hard to escape from the man's trap, but failed. Sonic, Tails, Amy and the others were still fighting Richard and whilst I helped them, my desperation to save the brunette teen was increasing at a high pace.

"Damn it!" Shadow muttered in annoyance as he ran out of bullets. Noticing this, I threw a set of pistol ammo I discovered earlier towards the black and red hedgehog. He nodded to show his appreciation as we all continued to fight our opponent. Truth be told, I was slightly amazed that Richard could take more than five blows and still go strong. Cynthia, Jasper and Andrew were weaker, but the battle we were going through now told me that the next two ghosts were also going to be a lot stronger.

_I didn't like that at all..._

Soon after what seemed like nearly an hour, Richard finally collasped with a scream of pain, indicating that he lost the energy he had. Shadow instantly walked up and pinned the sword into him, preventing the ghost from pulling himself back up to his feet. Relieved that it was over, I began jogging in the safehouse's direction with only one thing on my mind. "Elise! Wait! What's wrong?!"

I looked at Sonic and Diego with concern overwhelming me. "Okay..., okay, listen. I had this vision and I saw everyone get kidnapped by the man and several victim ghosts.."

Hearing this, Amy gasped worriedly whilst my blue friend and Manny looked at each other, knowing that their loved ones were currently in great danger. "And ... I think the man captured everyone to lead us into a trap..."

"Whatever this guy's got planned for us, it's not gonna end well," Knuckles muttered as he cast a worried look in Tails' direction. "Let's go."

Nodding to show that we understood, my friends and I all ran back to the safehouse. Sonic, Manny and Diego overtook us, with the former performing a boost to pick up the pace. I could tell that he and Tails were just as worried as I was, having spent a long period of time bonding with Megan throughout our journey...

_We're coming guys, just hang on..._


	45. Chapter 45: The One Truth

**Chapter 45: The One Truth**

**E-S**

"_So ... I tried calling my dad first, and ... I ... I just want my mum back!_"

"_I ... I don't know what to say... Although, I promise you, I'll do what I can to help._"

"_Thanks, Sonic. That really means a lot._"

...

I haven't forgotten the promise I made to Megan and I wasn't going to break it. To be honest, I had no idea who she and the Herd were at first, though I was appericative of them jumping in to stop Walter back in Room 303. But when we introduced each other at St. Jerome's Hospital, I knew that I was going to like my new friends.

_I mean, c'mon! They were a really friendly bunch!_

Although ... out of all the companions I had over the years, Megan was a little different. She'd be the first to jump in and save our lives whenever we ended up in trouble, occasionally crack a joke to cheer us up and was, most of all, a really nice kid to hang out with. I'm not saying that I see Elise and everyone else in a negative light, as I am on really good terms with them but ... Megan was beginning to mean a little more to me, just like Chip did when we travelled across the world to bring it back together seven years ago. After all that time, I still wore his bracelet to remember him. Chaos, it's even tucked under my left glove right now! Why didn't I show it to the former when I had the chance...?

_Stop it, Sonic. You will get another chance, you just gotta do what you do best and get Megan and her parents out of danger before Walter does the unthinkable to them._

I was the first to get back to our safehouse, followed closely by Tails, Elise and the others. To our dismay, the entire place was completely deserted and we had no idea where our friends were being taken. Argh...! If only we got here a bit faster...!

"Great," Amy muttered worriedly, gripping her hammer tightly. "Does anyone have a idea on where everyone is?"

"Not yet, no." Elise answered, looking panicked but trying to stay strong. "I'm going to see if I can contact them, just give me a few seconds, okay?" She then switched on her communicator watch and held it up decently close to her mouth. "Megan? Ellie? Shira? It's Elise, can any of you hear me?"

We all waited to get a reply from our friends who were missing. Even though I remained calm, I was really worried about everyone. We knew that they could handle themselves well in a threatening situation, but ... I suddenly began to have a horrible feeling that things weren't going to end positively for Megan and her parents. I kept convincing myself and those with me that we were all going to make it out.

I mean, everyone deserves to live life to the fullest in the time they have! That was one of the many things I believed in. I felt really bad for Megan when I found out that she was forced to watch her first three friends die, failing to rescue them. With Manny, Ellie, Diego and the Herd's assistance, she saved me from suffering the same fate!

_And I was going to do the same for her._

"Argh...!" Our deceased friend sighed, with annoyance and worry lacing her tone. "Nothing."

"Hey, why don't you let me try when we all get out of this place?" I suggested. "We may have a better chance at the bottom of the spiral staircase, so how about I contact Megan and the others?"

"Yeah, alright." Elise replied after a while, nodding to show that she understood. "That's a good idea."

After I entered the door's code, the nine of us found ourselves in a room with a _really_ long staircase going down. Along the way, my friends and I had to fight off a couple of humming-birds but other than that, the trek was just fine. A single door with the halo of the sun stood at the bottom, waiting to be opened. Looking back on this, we had no idea what was about to occur once we entered the next room.

Dim lights flickered in the ceiling, revealing a large number of platforms sliding down the dull yellow walls. Struggling furiously to fight their way out were several wall-men, looking very similar to the ones we encountered back in the subway station. Only this time, they were _huge!_

_Bring it on!_

It was a good thing that Elise knew that there was a method we had to use to get the next door open. All we had to do was attack a wall-man that could cause damage to be inflicted on the others. Seemed simple enough! My friends and I separated into two groups and took on our opponents. Manny, Sid, Diego and Knuckles unfortunatley were having trouble with the ones on the right side, leading my friend/rival to yell in furstration as he delievered a number of blows to the wall-man he was focusing on.

"Agh...!" Knuckles growled in annoyance. "This guy won't go down!"

"Hey Knux, why don't you come over to our side!" I shouted as I performed a spin dash on the one I was facing. "I think the wall-man we're looking for is over here!"

It took us a while to find him, but when we did, I was the first to jump into action. I performed a series of homing attacks on our opponent whilst Amy and Elise delivered severe blows with their weapons. During the fight, I couldn't help but let our missing friends drift into my thoughts.

Even though we knew they could handle themselves, we didn't know what was happening to them right now. Megan could be trying to find Ellie, Shira and the others so that they could escape from the location Walter took them. Or maybe they were already out and searching for us.

_Who knows? Hopefully, everyone's okay..._

"He's almost down!" My little bro cried as he used his signature tails to attack the wall-man we were targeting. "Just keep fighting!" Diego yelled, as Shadow continued pumping bullets into our opponent. Soon, the door would open and we would be able to escape and save those we held close to our hearts from danger. After a while, the door's lock finally clicked and the wall-men fell into an endless slumber. One by one, we all exited the room to find ourselves at the last set of spiral stairs leading to the bottom. Thick dark fog surrounded us, sending chills running down our spines.

"I wonder what could be down there?" Elise pondered as we descended the staircase.

"There's only one way to find out." I replied, smiling brightly as the thought of adventure and getting close to saving our friends. "Let's go!"

_Don't worry guys, we'll be with you soon..._


	46. Chapter 46: Room 302 of the Past

**Chapter 46: Room 302 of the Past**

My friends and I eventually made it to the bottom of the spiral staircase, taking in our surroundings as we did so. Remembering what I said to Elise earlier, I didn't hesitate in contacting Megan, Crash, Eddie and the others. Unfortunately, no reply came. But, we weren't going to let that stop us from saving them! The only thing that caught our attentions in the area was this large grey wall with a simple white door that could be opened. But, what _really _had us looking in its' direction was the number - **Room 302.**

_This could be Megan's apartment, but we had a feeling that someone else was in there._

"Hey," Knuckles decided to address Manny with slight concern. "You alright over there?"

"No, I'm not! We're completely lost, my wife and daughter are missing and chances are, the man's going to kill our family by the time we find out where they're being held!" Our mammoth friend replied in an aggressive manner, pacing to and fro with intense worry surging through him. "_Aaargh! _They could be dead _already_! And I don't know what I'd do if that happens!""

_Look buddy, we're worried about our loved ones too..._

"Manny, listen!" Diego butted in, with concern lacing his tone. "We're going to get everyone back in one piece, we just need to figure out where they are first."

"How are you so _calm about this_, _Diego_?!" The large mammoth demanded fiercely. "Your wife, Shira, is with those who are missing and possibly getting tortured! Aren't you worried about her?!"

"_Yes,_ _I am!_" The smilodon replied, trying to remain strong. "But, you're not the only one who's worried about losing their families to this mess the man got us in."

"_No_," Manny whispered angrily, after a moment of silence. "It's not the man who got us in this mess ... It's Megan."

_WHAT?! NO!_

Looking over at Elise, I noticed that she was having the same thoughts I was, due to the thunderous look of rage she gave Manny. Sid, Diego, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow were just as shocked and furious as we were. I didn't understand what was going on! Manny was really nice and caring towards Megan during our travels, he helped the young girl when she ended up in danger and she assisted him in return. If our friends and myself ever found ourselves cornered by one of the monsters or the man in the coat, the kid was _always_ there to jump in and save our lives ... Why was Manny acting like this and blaming her for something she didn't do?!

_Megan did nothing wrong at all. It wasn't her fault that we ended up here!_

"Guys, _listen_ to me. None of this ever would have happened if she didn't arrive at Switchback Cove in the first place! Our family wouldn't have been captured if we actually left that stupid kid behind in that town!"

"How _dare you!_" Elise screamed angrily, strolling up to the mammoth. "It's not Megan's fault that we're all stuck in the otherworlds!"

"You have _no idea_ what she put me and my family through," Manny snarled, sending a hateful glare in my older human friend's direction. "When this whole thing first started, I wanted this to be a dream and I _still do_. That kid is the reason why my family's captured, so it _is her fault_!"

"NO, IT'S NOT!" The rest of us (minus Elise) shouted, sticking with our deceased friend. Even though we felt bad for him about Ellie, Peaches and the others being missing, my friends and I couldn't believe it. By the sounds of things, Manny probably forgot about the bonding moment we shared, just before Knuckles and Amy joined us! Also, he most likely didn't know that if Megan was actually left behind in Silent Hill, I wouldn't be here right now.

Secondly, if the brunette teen found out that one of her idols blamed her for everything that happened, she would be deeply hurt. I knew that I would be too, if someone I idolised my entire life believed that I was to blame for this ordeal. We were all here because a young kid needed our help to save her family from danger!

_Like I said before, I haven't forgotten the promise I made ... and I wasn't going to break it._

**S-E**

_I could not believe what I was hearing._

Before the man found our friends, Manny was slowly breaking down his walls and opening up to us. He started treating Megan kindly and was appericative of her saving our lives whenever we ended up getting outnumbered by either the man in the coat or one of the monsters we encountered before. We ... We didn't know why he was acting like this...! Blaming a young girl who was _severly injured _for getting his family captured! It wasn't her fault. Ellie, Shira, Peaches and everyone else were defending Megan due to the latter suffering from her wounds, so ... the man decided to take them too. Our young friend wouldn't have wanted this to happen. They did everything they could to hold their own against our opponent.

_But ... things didn't end well, and we were going to save our loved ones before anything worse occured._

"Haven't you forgotten, _Manfred?_" I continued icily, letting my voice crack with emotion as tears began to form in my eyes. "Megan's worried _sick _about losing her parents. If she does, then she's going to become an orphan. Just like I did when I was only _seven years old!_"

Even though I didn't have any siblings of my own, I saw Megan as a little sister! I remembered when we first met back in Soleanna, she was really shy and once I noticed it, I decided to do what I could to get her to gradually open up. I was deeply sympathetic when the young girl told me about her life; her condition, going through _sixteen _years of isolation from her peers and getting horrifically bullied by them. The only good things about her life were getting to know Eileen in the time she did, her family and ourselves.

_If things ended positively here, we were going to make Megan smile again._

"We're worried about losing our loved ones too, you know. And we are going to get Ellie, Peaches and the others back, believe me we will. But, if you _truly _believe that a young girl who _idolised _you her entire life is to blame for this whole ordeal, then we're going to have a serious problem!"

The tears finally fell as my words came floating out of my mouth, leading me to furiously wipe them away. I could see that Manfred was beginning to feel guilty for his outburst and we never seen him that angry before. But, that didn't stop him from saying one last thing that sent our spirits tumbling down.

"When this is over ... we're going our separate ways."

"_Wow_," Amy scoffed after a moment of silence, walking over to Room 302's door and opening it. One by one, we followed her and found ourselves in a blank grey room with furniture and a large number of red papers scattered across the apartment. Truth be told, I was expecting our mammoth companion to follow us but ... he decided to remain outside for reasons unknown, which was rather strange.

"Hey," Sonic adressed me, sympathetically placing a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just ... can't believe that he blamed Megan for _everything _we've been through, up to this point." I responded sadly.

"That makes two of us," My blue friend repiled. "Elise, you're not the only one who sees that little girl as a sister."

"Wait, how did you?" I attempted to ask, with suprise lacing my tone. "How did you pick that up?!"

"I could tell by the way you spoke earlier." Sonic answered, smiling gently. "But like I said, you're not the only one who sees Megan as a little sister. Tails and I do too."

_That's nice to hear..._

I smiled as I looked down at my revolver for a brief moment. I didn't know what was going to happen afterwards, but ... if we managed to save everyone, we'd probably stick together as a group. Sonic and I didn't mind having Sid, Diego, Ellie and the others around as they were all really kind and caring. To tell the truth, it would be quite disappointing if we had to part ways after escaping the otherworlds.

_But if Manfred really wants to do it, then that's fine._

"You two alright here?" Diego asked as he came over to join us, snapping me back to reality as Sonic answered his question with a cheerful "Yep!".

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened earlier." The smilodon began, with concern lacing his tone. "He's just worried about losing Ellie and Peaches because ... he lost his first wife and child to hunters before he met us."

Hearing this, I gasped whilst Sonic looked at Diego in shock. "Yeesh, that's got to be intense."

"Yes, I agree," Our pre-historic friend continued. "The reason why Manny acts defensive towards the humans is the loss of his first family. We both thought Megan was a hunter when we crossed paths with her at home. But, after I helped her defend everyone from the creatures, I knew that she was a good kid, and so did Shira."

"We're going to get her back, don't worry." Sonic reassured him. "We're gonna get everyone back safely."

_I agree. There's no way we're leaving them behind..._

"Thanks," The smilodon repiled with apperication lacing his tone. "Sid and I believe that Megan isn't responsible for getting everyone captured. We don't think it's her fault, either. And about Manny, we figured you should know."

My blue friend and I smiled, grateful that we weren't alone in standing up for the brunette teen. We all continued to search the apartment, reading the red papers and discovering a lot of information about our assilant. I didn't know it at first, but the man in the coat was Walter Sullivan. His parents left him as a baby in Room 302 of the South Ashfield Heights Apartments and he grew up with a cult known as the Order. They ... They most likely brainwashed him into thinking that his mother was still in the room, and the only way to get in was to murder 21 innocent individuals. Eileen, Megan's friend was the 20th...

I also came across this new piece of information, explaining why Walter was continuing the process of killing people, me being one of them. He ... He managed to get into Room 302, but his mother was not responding whenever he tried to wake her up. At this point, we all didn't know what to say as it was incredibly shocking.

_On one hand, we felt sympathy due to his past. But on the other, we felt anger due to his recent murders..._

"You've all done well to make it this far."

Startled by the gentle, yet booming voice, my friends and I found ourselves face to face with a middle-aged man wearing a black and grey suit. A young short-haired brunette woman in her early 20s stood beside him, dressed in a purple party dress and matching high heels. With her was a brown haired man who looked like he was in his late 20s, draped in a light blue collared jacket, white t-shirt, jeans and black boots. He looked rather handsome, I'll admit...

_Wait, that's the man in the vision I had back in the subway station!_

"And, who are you three?" Shadow asked, glancing at us in a protective manner.

"My name is Joseph Schreiber," The middle-aged man answered. "These two individuals here are Henry Townshend and Eileen Galvin. We're glad that you all survived up to this point."

Sonic and I couldn't help but stare at the latter, recgonising her instantly. Megan had told us an awful lot about her, before she went missing with Ellie, Shira and the others. Eileen sounded like a very kind young woman and now, we got the chance to talk to her. "Hey," I began, carefully choosing my words. "I don't mean to pry or anything, but ... do you know a girl named Megan?"

Hearing this, Eileen's emerald green eyes lit up as she nodded frantically with a huge grin. "Yes, I do!" But then, her smile faded as concern began to surge through her. "I'm sorry about what happened to Megan and your friends. Henry and Joseph are, too."

"Wait, how did you guys find out?" Knuckles butted in, with confusion crossing his features. "You didn't hear us outside, did you?"

"Yes, we did." Joseph answered honestly, giving us a brief apologetic glance before returning to his serious look. "I was here when Henry and Eileen were in your positions, three weeks ago. Since I'm the 15th sacrament, I am able to sense negative events such as your friends' disappearances. That's how we found out."

Hearing his words, my confused glance shifted into an understanding one. "I see,"

"We've also been trying to figure out your friends' whereabouts," Henry added, shyly. I could tell that he was just as shy as Megan was when we first crossed paths back in Soleanna. I wonder what would happen if those two met? "And before you all arrived here, we've found a couple of answers,"

"Yeah, we'll come show you," Eileen said, beckoning us to follow her into the living room. There was a small table sitting in the centre and upon it, were several pieces of crimson paper with black writting and a map of South Ashfield Heights. Maybe, Walter was holding Megan and the others hostage there?

_The sooner we find out, the better._

"Let me guess," Sonic muttered, taking his foot with impatience. I didn't blame him as I could tell that he wanted to save everyone as much as I did. "Our friends are trapped somewhere in the apartment complex."

"Actually, there's a large area underneath South Ashfield Heights and Walter's keeping your friends there." Eileen repiled, trying to remain strong as she too was worried about Megan, Ellie and the others. "The main way in is Henry's apartment but it's been blocked off, since the 21 Sacraments have been completed. It is possible that there's another route to take, but I'm afraid we don't know where it is in the building."

"So, how do we unblock the main route down?" Tails wanted to know.

"Our superintendent, Frank Sunderland used to keep a box in his room. And, even though you're not going to like what's inside, you'll need it in order to defeat Walter. If you don't have it ... wherever you run, he will follow you." Joseph answered in a haunting tone, sending chills running down my spine.

"Gee, thanks for scaring us," Sonic said with sarcasm lacing his tone, attempting to lighten up the mood even though he was focused on saving everyone. "Hey," I muttered quietly. "Be serious, Sonic."

"Okay, okay," Our blue friend repiled, holding his hands up in defense. "So, do you guys know if Megan and the others made it out?"

"We have some good news. Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the Herd escaped." Eileen revealed, smiling when Sid and Diego breathed sighs of relief. Manny was probably going to be pleased too. "But whilst they did try to find Megan, her location is _well _hidden. But once you all find the box and get down to the prison, either Henry or myself will meet you and we'll put the box in a place where Megan will find it. We don't know where her location is, but we'll also leave a couple of things to help her escape."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sid butted in. "Why don't you just help Megan get out yourselves, instead of leaving items for her to use?"

Hearing this, Eileen's smile faded with a small sigh escaping her mouth. "Believe me, I wish I could. But ... judging by what's going on down in the prison at the moment, it appears that Megan's the only one who has to kill him."

_Oh no..! That's ... I don't know if that will end well, considering Sullivan's methods of attacking but I hope that our younger friend will survive the encounter and kill him. __Well ... at least, Ellie and the rest of the Herd managed to escape. I should imagine that Megan's going to do that too, when she awakens._

"Okay," I said, feeling relieved for Sid and Diego and focusing on our mission. "Is there anything else we need to do?"

"Yes," Joseph answered in a serious tone. "If you all want to survive, you'll have to follow the Crimson Tome. You _must _stop Walter. You _must_ help the girl kill him. It's the only way for you to escape..."

As the middle-aged man continued, Henry and Eileen decided to exit the main room into another area of the apartment, presumably to prepare the items they were going to take down to the prison. They wished us good luck and hoped that we would be careful, leading the latter to ask Sonic to take care of Megan if she lost her parents. I had a small feeling that I wouldn't be able to join them if we escaped, so ... I was very glad that our young human friend would have Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Shadow to spend time with. Then Joseph disappeared after a while, his voice echoing as he faded away. As we listened, my friends and I were suddenly joined by Manny who apologised for his outburst. We forgave him and one by one, we exited Room 302 via a hole, not knowing where we ended up next.

"You must help the girl kill him. You must kill him. Kill ... Kill ... Kill ... Kill ... You must kill him. Kill ... Kill ... Kill ... Kill..."

_Looking back on this, that will haunt me for a long time. __But I'll have to put it to one side for now, Megan and her parents are still in danger._

_Don't worry, Megs... We'll be with you soon..._


	47. Chapter 47: Alone in the Abyss

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone, how are you all doing? :) I'd just like to say a big Thank You for the support so far. I can't believe there are 100 reviews now, I'm really flattered! :) Anyways, we haven't got long until Sunlight is officially complete. I'm a little sad to be ending this as I enjoyed writing Megan, Sonic and the Herd's journey... :( But, I may be considering a sequel so feel free to give me any ideas, if you'd like to! :)**

**Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all are enjoying this so far! :)**

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**Chapter 47: Alone in the Abyss**

_(Meanwhile, underneath South Ashfield Heights...)_

**E-M**

I hated being helpless. I tried _so hard _to defend everyone against the man in the blue coat, but ... we all got captured and ... I felt like I was responsible for this happening. I was beginning to believe that it was my fault that Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others were taken. I shouldn't have gotten injured back in the water prison! If I didn't, then we'd still be with Sonic and Manny's group, travelling through different worlds and finding out where my parents were...!

_ I never asked for this to happen... _

Once my eyes fluttered open, I groaned in agony as I struggled to pull myself to my feet. The man's attack must have done a number on me as I felt intense pain throbbing in my face, nose, upper jaw and neck. The location I was in definitely sent my spirits tumbling down. It was pitch black, even more darker than the lobby of Brookhaven Hospital back in Silent Hill! Due to the dim flickering lights, I could faintly tell that I was trapped in a strong metal cage. A simple white door stood a few feet away, serving as the exit to my prison. That was most likely locked up too, damn it.

_How the hell will I be able to get out...?! There's gotta be an escape route somewhere...! _

Taking in my surroundings, I saw a cracked mirror nearby and ran up to it to see what my injuries were like. I had to make sure that I wasn't heavily wounded, otherwise I'd be screwed and probably end up dying. Once I realised the state I was in, horror surged through me and I struggled to hold back any incoming vomit. My face was _literally _covered in cuts, scabs and bruises, the latter almost becoming a dark red-purple colour. They were also inflicted on my neck, due to how hard the man's grip was.

I faintly remembered attempting to escape and save my friends earlier, but our godawful stalker kept attacking me and blocking my way. I remembered screaming in pain and desperation as I fought tooth and nail to get out. He just ... dragged me back to my cell and began delivering painful and severe blows as I continued twisting, turning and thrashing in my desperate attempt to escape. He then did something _extremely _brutal, which I'm not going to describe. What I will say though, is that the whole torture experience was terrifying...

_Enough about my injuries. I gotta get out of this place. Now. _

Running over to my cage's door, I reached through the metal bars and frantically attempted to undo the chains surrounding the lock. "Ugh! Come on!" But, it just wouldn't become lose enough for me to open the metal door... "_Argh!_"

Panting, I paced to and fro, desperately checking to see if there were any other escape routes. Unfortunately there weren't, which lead to me tugging on the chains again. There's gotta be a way out, there _has _to be! I wasn't going to sit around around wait or some knight in shining armour to save me, no! Tearing off my purple jacket and tying it around my waist, I decided to try again. "Damn it!" I growled in annoyance, eventually kicking the door in frustration. "You can't stay locked up forever, for god's sake!"

_What would Team Sonic and the Herd do?_

I knew exactly what they would do, if they were in my shoes. They wouldn't give up and stop trying! Like Sonic said, nothing starts until you take action! That was what I was going to do. I was going to take action, escape from this cell and fight to the best of my ability to save my parents and reunite with my friends!

After what seemed like an hour of trying, I managed to undo the chains! Grinning with relief with surging through me, I searched for a key I could use to unlock the door and to my surprise and brief confusion, it was only a few feet away from my cell door. _Wait... Did someone manage to get in here and leave that there for me? If so, who was it?! _Shaking my thoughts away and crouching down, I lifted my arm through the bottom of the cell door in a desperate attempt to grasp the key, grunting as I did so. "Don't you dare move!"

Eventually managing to take hold of it, I pulled myself up to my feet and unlocked my cell door. Freeeedom! _Finally!_ Without hesitation, I grabbed my backpack, slung my arms through the straps and turned on my flashlight. Being out of the cage was much better, I'll admit. Cautiously looking around, I noticed that my firearms were unfortunatley gone which annoyed me. But hey, at least there was a switchblade knife sticking out of a nearby table.

"This will have to do." I sighed as I took it. "Hopefully, I'll find more weapons soon."

After opening the white door, I couldn't help but let my family and friends drift into my thoughts. I was hoping that Sonic and Manny's group were okay, but I had no idea where they were or what they were doing right now. I was also hoping that Ellie, Peaches, Shira and their group were alright. I didn't know if they were still trapped or if they already escaped. Either way, I hoped that they were going to be fine...

_I'll be with my loved ones soon... Just a little longer and we'll be together again..._

"Here we go..." I whispered as I found myself entering an incredibly dark hallway with two paths going left and right. Three massive tv screens hovered a few feet above me, errupting static and briefly flashing images of a severly injured man, woman and teenage girl who looked very similar to my parents and myself.

_In fact, it was us..._

"Oh ... What have I gotten myself into?" I gasped quietly, shaking with worry surging through me. The man most likely decided that he was going to use those pictures to taunt Sonic, Elise, Manny, Diego and the others if they managed to get in here.

"They better be okay, I know they are..." I told myself, gripping my knife tightly as I took in my surroundings. Suddenly, I jumped out of my skin when a blood-curling scream echoed from the left side of the hallway. "_AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!_"

It sounded very far, but familiar too! "Mum?! ... _MUM!_" I cried out, breaking into a sprint.

"_OH GOD, __HELP ME! PLEASE, SOMEBODY HELP!_" My mother continued to scream. "_HELP ME!_"

Breathing heavily with panic surging through me, I ran as fast as I could. I was _so close_ now, and I wasn't going to let anything stop me! Even though I had a horrible feeling that ... one of us wasn't going to make it, I kept sprinting. As I bolted towards the location my parents presumably were, my radio suddenly came to life with static which momentarily caught me off guard. A set of large footsteps and the sounds of a gigantic knife scraping the floor also greeted my ears, influencing me to stop birefly to make sure that everything was fine.

_I swear to god, if it's that Pryamid Head thing that helped kill Maria back in Brookhaven Hospital, I'm going to go insane._

I knew it was a bad move to stop, but I just had to make sure. The sounds and footsteps sounded far away, so ... maybe it was? _Nooooope!_ Maria's terrified face flashed in my head as I found myself turning round...

He was right f*cking there! In front of me with his knife raised to attack me! _How the hell did he get out of the goddamn hospital and end up here?!_ As soon as I saw Maria's second murderer, I let out a loud frightened shriek and delievered a hard kick to his stomach in an attempt to stun him. Whilst Pyramid Head was in the middle of recovering, I turned back in the direction my mother's voice came from and sprinted off again, gasping for breath and panicking. There wasn't any point in staying and fighting him, as it would be a losing battle.

So, I did the one thing I knew deep down that Team Sonic and the Herd would tell me to do...

_Escape, save your family and reunite with your friends. _


	48. Chapter 48: South Ashfield Heights

QAN: Hello everyone, apologises for not having updated sooner. College has been getting worse for me and I've been going through a lot of hard things lately, so I had to take some time off. I'm also struggling with ideas on how to end this story, considering we're very close to the end, so that's been difficult too. :( Anyways, thank you for the support so far and I'm really glad that you guys are enjoying the story. :)

Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all like Chapter 48! :)

* * *

**Chapter 48: South Ashfield Heights**

_(Back with Team Sonic and the Sub Zero Heroes...)_

**M-M**

_Looking back on what happened earlier, I don't know what came over me..._

Even though I did have a few moments like that before, I just ... lashed out because I was _completely _terrified about losing Ellie and Peaches in the same way I lost my first family...! I didn't mean what I said about Megan, honestly. I thought she was a good kid, but ... memories of my past and the events leading up to this point made me blame her for getting my family into trouble! But, I imagined that she didn't ask for this to happen... Megan was recovering from the injuries she recieved and the others were only looking after her! I knew I'd have to reveal what I said and apologise to our younger human friend if we saw her again...

_I regretted blaming the young girl for this ordeal. But, I felt that she should know..._

Soon after exiting the hole, we found ourselves in a long hallway that looked incredibly similar to Megan and Sonic's apartment complex, but with a few differences. The walls, floor and furniture were covered in blood and dirt, giving off a disturbing atmosphere. I couldn't blame my friends for being uncomfortable as I was too.

"Is everything alright?" Elise asked me with concern lacing her tone, snapping me back to reality. To tell the truth, I thought she'd give me the silent treatment for what I did! "Look, I ... I didn't mean what I said, honestly." I began to protest. "I'm just ... terrified that I'm going to lose my family to this madness..."

"I understand." The princess replied. "But, you're not the only one who's scared about the possibility of losing their loved ones. I, um, after I lost my parents ... I wasn't sure that I'd meet someone who would become a dear friend of mine."

"You met Sonic, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes, I did." Elise continued, remembering her first adventure with them. "Until I met Sonic, Tails and the others, I didn't have any friends whatsoever. Megan didn't, either. Not until we crossed paths with her."

I nodded sadly, letting my loving wife and daughter drift into my thoughts. "Right."

"We do have some good news, though," Our deceased friend revealed after a moment of silence. "Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others. They escaped."

_Oh... Thank goodness!_

I could have collapsed to the floor, as I was _so _relieved! Everyone in my family were okay! I looked over at Sid and Diego, who were grinning with delight as they too felt the same way I did. "We told you we'd find them!" The former exclaimed happily. But then, our smiles faded as a realisation suddenly hit us.

_One of our friends was still in danger..._

"Guys, do any of you know where Megan and her parents are being held?" I asked, snapping myself back to reality and focusing on our current objective. "Yep, we do!" Sonic answered. "They're trapped in this prison underneath our area. There is a way in, but it's blocked off."

"So, how do we unblock it?" I wanted to know. If there was a method we could use to get in the prison, we would do it. "This guy, I think his name was Joseph, he said that we needed to go down to the superintendent's room and get this box. He hasn't mentioned anything else about it, though." Tails added, with concern lacing his tone.

_At least, we know where to start..._

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute." Knuckles suddenly butted in, sending a confused glance in my direction. "Didn't the fat one say he wanted us to go our _separate_ ways when we all escape from the otherworlds?"

"Knuckles..." Amy groaned, not wanting to have another argument. I honestly couldn't blame her, as our friends and I didn't like the idea of what happened minutes ago occuring a second time.

"First of all, I'm not _fat_! It's this fur that makes me look big!" I muttered in annoyance. I had to go through this _four_ times, and it was really starting to get on my nerves. Sid, Ellie, Buck, Captain Gutt and now Knuckles had said it. Whilst I started to get used to hearing the word, it still drove me mad. "It's poofy!"

_Hopefully, I won't have to go through that again..._

"And secondly, I didn't mean that either." I continued, still feeling guilty about my outburst earlier. "If ... If we all happen to get separated after we escape, I'm happy to keep in touch."

After that, we began to explore the nightmare world. Whilst there was the threat of monsters lurking round, we learned some new things about the ordeal we were going through. The place we were in, happened to be South Ashfield Heights whch was near Megan and Sonic's apartment complex.

The route we had to take in order to get in the superintendent's room was very difficult, long staircases and hallways. We even got ambushed a couple of times by the man in the coat, who we later found out was Walter Sullivan! After learning about his past, I honestly didn't know what to say...

_I felt sympathy for him, due to his past. But at the same time, I felt anger due to his murders and what he put us through._

We then realised that Walter and Megan both had something in common; they wanted to save their mothers. But only one of them was going to get that chance. The former got brainwashed by this cult into believing that he had to kill 21 innocent people in order to reunite with his mother. But once he entered the room she was in, he couldn't wake her up. Thus, he had to kill 7 more victims to accomplish that goal...

_Sonic, Megan and her parents were the only ones left..._

The latter however, was a lot different. She had done everything in her power to keep us all alive and we were going to return the favour. After finding her in the carousel back in Lakeside Amusement Park, I felt sympathy for Megan after learning that her first three friends died in front of her. I knew she wasn't going to let the same thing happen to Sonic and her parents, so we decided to help in any way we could. Right now, that little girl was in danger and she was _so _close to finding her family. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but ... she's beginning to remind me of Pinky.

"You okay over there, buddy?" Diego's concerned voice snapped me back to reality.

"Yeah..." I answered, as we explored the hallways. "I'm just ... thinking about someone we met years ago."

"Pinky?" Sid asked, having heard my sentence and grinning as he remembered the infant. I nodded to confirm that he was right, and the sloth's grin widened. "I wonder how old Pinky is now?"

"Well, considering he was a baby when we returned him, I'd say ... probably about the same age as Megan." Diego answered, allowing a small smile to crease his cheeks as memories of Pinky's first walk began to flash in our heads.

After looking around the third floor for a little longer, we decided to go down to the second floor and see if we could find any useful suppiles. A group of sniffer dogs were patrolling the hallway, which sent our spirits tumbling down. But thankfully, we managed to get rid off them. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but let Ellie, Peaches and the others drift into my thoughts. I was so relieved that they managed to escape but at the same time, I didn't know if they were in a different otherworld or in the same one we were...

_But no matter how long it takes, I will find them!_

"They gotta be somewhere around here! Where are they?!" A somewhat familar voice echoed, sending sparks of excitement and relief flooding through us.

"Hey, we'll find them soon! I know we will." Another voice, one Diego knew _very _well shouted, leading the latter to send a huge grin in my direction. One by one, the voices got louder and everyone else in our group wondered around the farthest corner of the hallway, taking in their surroundings just like we were.

"Guys, don't worry! Once we find Manny and the others, we're going back for Megan and we're going to get her and her parents out of the prison." Ellie reassured them as they walked.

"But what if we arrive too late, and find out that they've been _killed?!_" Crash cried, grabbing Eddie in fright. "The last time we saw Megan was when the man started beating her up for_ helping us escape!_"

_Oh no..._

"I'm worried about her too, Crash." Ellie said, allowing concern to surge through her. "We've all seen Megan take down those monsters to save our lives, so she can handle herself. But like I said before, we're still going back for her."

As soon as they turned in our direction and locked their eyes with ours, Sid, Diego and I began sprinting towards them, screaming their names with absolute joy.

"Ellie!" "Peaches!" "Shira!" "Granny!"

"Manny!" "Dad!" "Diego!" "Sidney!"

When we all embraced ... it almost felt like a huge weight was taken off our shoulders. Everyone in the Herd were reunited and safe. Nothing threatening would happen to those we loved anymore. We were all together again! Sonic, Elise, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Shadow watched us, smiling with relief surging through them. But we soon snapped back to reality when the former stepped forward with a concerned frown. "Hey guys, I hate to interrupt, I really do. But, we still have to save our friend and her parents who are trapped underneath us right now."

"We're sorry we couldn't find the kid." Buck said, feeling concern for Megan's well-being. "We did look, but ... we couldn't find her."

"It's fine, don't worry." Amy replied. "Though, we did manage to find a route into the prison, so we'll be there soon."

_Hopefully... Kid, just hang on for a while. We're on our way to get you out..._


	49. Chapter 49: Crimson Tome

QAN: Hi everyone, apologies for not having updated sooner. I was a little nervous about writing this chapter, because this is the first time I've ever written in Shadow's POV. So, I'm hoping that I managed to keep him in character. Although, if he is out of character in this chapter, do let me know and I'll try and fix it. :( Anyways, we have five parts left to go before the end, so things are gonna get super crazy for Sonic, Manny and their friends. :)

Feel free to leave a review and hope y'all are enjoying the story so far! :)

* * *

**Chapter 49: Crimson Tome**

**M-Sh**

"_Thanks for ... helping Faker._"

"_No problem._"

...

I was very surprised to see Sonic in a positive state, after learning about his attack. Tails and I didn't know how we got to the otherworlds. One moment, we were chatting in St. Jerome's Hospital and the next, we found ourselves exploring an incredibly dark forest with thick grey fog nearly preventing us from coming across the building.

_But, we did hear two voices. One belonging to Faker._

Megan seemed like a nice kid. Sure, she was a little shy but ... she was the type of person who anyone would get along with easily. To tell the truth, I was rather disappointed that we didn't get enough time to know each other better. I also felt a little ashamed that I wasn't able to push her out of the way during our fight with Andrew DeSalvo. So, I decided to finish the job for Megan by pinning down the 18th victim ghost with our sword of obedience. Now, that little girl was trapped underneath us and in danger, searching for those she loved.

_And we were going to get her out. Like I said before, Megan's stuck with us, no matter what happens to her parents. _

The good thing was that Manny, Sid and Diego were reunited with those they held close to their hearts. The next thing we had to do was unlock the superintendent's room and get the small box Joseph mentioned back in his version of Room 302. We didn't know what Henry's version looked like now but we had a feeling that it was not going to be pleasant, due to what occurred 3 weeks prior. I honestly wouldn't be suprised if it didn't appear inviting, since the otherworlds we travelled through were rather unsettling to begin with.

"So, what did we miss?" Flynn asked after a while. "Anything important we should know?"

"Yeah, er, we found out an awful lot of important stuff," Sonic answered, with concern overwhelming him due to letting a certain young girl drift into his thoughts, despite not showing it. "We know who our stalker is, the reason why he put us through this ordeal and a way down to where Megan currently is."

Whilst we revealed to Buck, Ellie and the others what we discovered, I couldn't help but let an old friend of mine drift into my thoughts; Maria. She didn't deserve to die at all. Even though several years had passed, I still remembered that dreadful moment clearly. The two of us were just about to escape from the ARK and make her dream become a reality. Maria always talked about the earth and how much she wanted to see it...

_But ... my friend never got the chance... _

"Man!" Buck groaned, after taking our information in. "I ... I don't know what to say, honestly. Man..."

"I'm gonna have to agree with the weasel here," Granny added, feeling just as shocked as we were. "Why would ... Why would that cult brainwash the madman into believing that he had to kill _21 _people in order to reunite with his mother?!"

"And then be told that he has to kill 7 more victims, so she can wake up!" Eddie put in, with fear overwhelming him. "We have two of them with us right now, and we all know where the other three are!"

"Guys, can you _please_ quiet down for a second!" Elise interrupted, sending a concerned glance towards Faker who responded with his trademark grin to reassure that he was fine. "I don't think the ritual's going to be completed if Megan's parents end up getting killed. And before you ask why, there's an order the victims have to go in."

"Elise is right," Sonic continued, allowing his smile to widen slightly as he realised an important piece of news. "Megan, her parents and myself are the only ones left. And I'm the first one to go out of the four of us. So, since I managed to make it through the attack, Walter's ritual is gonna fail!"

Now nornally I wouldn't say this, but ... Faker did have a point. He would have to be gone first, in order for the procedure to succeed. Since he survived and was still with us, that meant that the ritual wasn't going to end positively, no matter what happened with our younger human friend and her parents. But at the same time, we didn't want to lose them to this madness...

_We all had a limited amount of time to get down to the prison, and we weren't going to waste it. _

After our discussion, we explored the second floor of South Ashfield Heights a little further. Whilst searching the rooms for useful suppiles, Diego discovered that '207' used to be where Richard Braintree, the ghost we encountered back in the previous world, lived. To be honest, it was a little startling coming across a burnt chair with handcuffs standing a few feet away from the front door. Judging from its' appearance and how the ghost himself looked, his cause of death was most likely electrocution.

"This Walter guy is nuts!" Knuckles exclaimed in horror, staring at the severly burnt piece of furniture. The red echidna's eyes then travelled to a large brown box with bloodied clothes inside, leading him to take a closer look and back away seconds afterwards in disgust. "Ooooh! Don't look in there! Don't look in there!"

_Damn it... I wish you guys would just focus! One of our friends is in trouble!_

"Knuckles, I'm sure it's nothing too bad," Amy said, sending a worried glance towards Sonic, Tails, Elise and myself. "Let's continue on and get down to the first floor."

"Agreed." I muttered calmly, nodding to reassure the pink hedgehog that we were doing well. "I think I'm done with this floor, anyway."

Hearing this, Faker instantly bolted out off the room, shouting: "Last one to the first floor is a rotten egg!". I sighed with slight amusement and annoyance, following him as I did so.

Even though Sonic got on my nerves all the time, I respected him as an ally. I still remembered working with him and Silver to defeat Solaris years ago, and I was beginning to suspect that we'd have to work together again to help Megan defeat Sullivan and vanquish his influence over South Ashfield Heights and Silver Lake. If the situation came down to that, I'd be willing to do it. By the time we made it to the staircase which lead to the first floor, I noticed that Sonic was at the bottom, waiting for us with Tails, Knuckles and Amy. "I knew it..."

"Shadow, our friend is the fastest thing alive," Elise said, softly chuckling with amusement. "He was going to beat us to the first floor anyway, which is understandable."

"Hmph, good point." I muttered as we began to make our way down. Suddenly, we froze in our tracks when a tiny voice began echoing throughout the apartment, sending cold chills running down our spines.

"Dad...? Daaaad...? Where's Dad? Daaaaad ... I can't see your face!"

My allies and I knew straight away that it wasn't Megan. The voice sounded like it belonged to a young boy, probably a lot younger than the former. From the volume of his cries, we could tell that he was close by, maybe even in the main lobby. Manny, Diego and the Herd were a few feet behind us and they heard the kid too. "Mum, should we help him?" Peaches asked Ellie with worry overwhelming her. "I feel like we should..."

"I'm afraid I don't know, honey," The older female mammoth repiled, gently. "Although, we should find the child and ask him what the problem seems to be. He could know something about how Megan is doing, and if he does, he could help us too."

_I'm going to have to agree with that. The kid could assist us in return, if he knows anything about what's happening to Megan. But first, we'll have to track him down ... Hopefully, this is going to end postively. _


	50. Chapter 50: Little Walter

**Chapter 50: Little Walter**

**Sh-E**

"_The reason why I'm here is that... I've kept watch over you all this time and I'm so sorry those events occured. I shouldn't have left you..._"

"_It's not you. It's me who should be sorry._"

"_What do you mean..? You didn't do anything wrong at all!_"

"_Yes, I did. I failed to rescue you, Maria and Cybil. Sonic came so close to joining that list and you guys didn't deserve it. I do. It probably would be easier for all of us if the man just killed me right here..._"

...

Looking back on my reunion with Megan, I understood why she revealed that she should have been apologetic instead of me. Throughout the traumatic experience she endured, my friend matured into a strong and capable young woman, but was deeply affected by this ordeal, physically and emotionally. I could see it in Megan's eyes when we reunited in the hospital, just before we met up with the Herd and began searching for Sonic. Oh ... I wished that I could have done something to heal the young girl's guilt, take her pain away and bring her smile back to life.

_And ... I don't think I'm going to get that chance, because I now belong in the heavens..._

Sonic had recently noticed the signs too, which meant that I wasn't the only one who wanted to do something pleasant for her. We both didn't know how things were going to go with defeating Sullivan, but ... my blue friend and I had a horrible feeling that we would escape from our unsettling stalker just fine, but end up witnessing one or two more deaths in the process. I absoutley _dreaded _the thought of Megan dying. I mean ... she had her _whole_ life ahead of her!

If we lost our younger friend, she wouldn't be able to grow older, travel around the world, find a job she enjoyed, buy a house, fall in love, get married and maybe have a family of her own! Even though we didn't get the chance to interact a lot during our time together, my friends and I strongly believed that the brunette teen deserved to live happily after this ordeal...

_But right now, we needed to help a little boy. And afterwards, we would be able to get in the superintendent's room._

"Dad...? Daaaad...? Where's Dad? Daaad, I can't see your face!"

Once Shadow, the Herd and I made it down to the bottom of the staircase, we all began to take in our surroundings. We didn't see any monsters which was good, but ... my friends and I did come across a very strange looking mannequin standing several metres behind the staircase. For some reason, it almost looked like ... it was wrapped up in warm golden blankets and peacefully sleeping. I didn't know why, but ... something about it was telling me to come back and investigate further soon...

"Are you _kidding me?! _It's locked and has several chains dangling across it! How are we going to get in, if we can't undo the chains?!"

Upon hearing Granny's words, I walked over and noticed that the door leading into the superintendent's room was locked up tight with six chains draped over it. At first, I was disappointed but an idea suddenly drifted into my thoughts. Maybe there were more mannequins wrapped up in the golden blankets?

_If so ... It seemed possible that finding them was our solution to the problem..._

"We'll see if there's a way to undo the chains, don't worry," Sid reassured the elder female sloth. "But first, we gotta find that little boy and help him."

It didn't take long for us to cross paths with the child, because when we entered the main lobby, we found him standing in the very centre, clutching a small book tightly to his chest. His light brown hair shone perfectly from a small light on the ceiling and his outfit consisted of a black and white striped shirt, lilac-blue jeans and light brown shoes.

His piercing green eyes reflected the waves of emotion pouring out as he called desperatley for his parents in a heartbreaking tone. He was a lot younger than Peaches and Megan, most likely 7 years old. As I gazed at him, I suddenly gained that protective instinct I had when I realised that our younger human friend didn't have her parents with her back in my kingdom.

_Poor thing... There has to be something we can do to help..._

"Hey...," I whispered soothingly, cautiously walking up to the child and crouching down to his level. "What are you doing here, all by yourself?"

"Mommy won't wake up! ... And ... and I can't find Dad!" The little boy whimpered, wiping the tears away slowly and gazing at me with pure sadness radiating off his innocent soul. "I'm trying to wake Mommy up ... But, nothing I do works...!"

He looked so vunerable and crestfallen, that I almost wanted to pull him in my arms and comfort him. But deep down, something was telling me not to. I suddenly remembered another thing Joseph revealed to us, back in Room 302 of the Past. When he was little, Walter truly believed that the room was his actual mother. We all thought that was rather strange, at first. The cult he grew up with_ really_ must have done a number on him... This young innocent boy was going to grow up and become a serial killer from what we heard. I ... Is there any other way to save Megan, survive the ordeal and help him find a mother's love, at the same time?!

_The adult version was down in the prison with our teenage human friend and her parents... Eileen was right. Megan was the one who would have to kill him, whether we liked the idea or not. We ... We don't have a choice in the matter. Like Joseph said ... killing Walter was the only way for us to escape from the otherworlds..._

"How do you feel about us helping you...?" I asked, gently. "And ... do you know where she is now?"

Even though my friends and I already knew where she was, I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. I could tell that he was a representation of the last remaining pieces of positivity left in Sullivan. The young version of him meant no harm whatsoever, and to be honest, that was an incredible relief. "That ... would be very nice of you." The child answered, suddenly cheering up and smiling brightly at me. "Yes, _yes!_ I do! She's sleeping in the room I was born in!"

"Lots of people tried to stop me from getting inside," He continued on. "But it's okay now, because soon I'll be able to wake her up and be with her again. I gotta hurry, Mom's waiting!"

Just seconds after his words escaped, the child dashed off in the direction we came in. "W-W-Whoa! Hey, _wait!_ We need help with something too!" I cried out worriedly, running after him but stopping when he disappeared. "Argh...!" I groaned in annoyance, gazing at Sonic, Tails, Amy and the others apologetically. "I'm sorry, guys..."

"Hey, it's alright." My blue friend repiled, nodding to show that he understood. "Next thing to do on our list; get rid of the chains and unlock the superintendant's room. Let's go!"

It always brightened my day to see Sonic enjoying his adventures, even though we had a couple of issues throughout. Whilst we ventured back to the chained-up door, I couldn't help but let Megan drift into my thoughts. Was she still alive? ... Was she okay? I had a horrible feeling that things weren't going to end positively soon. I tried to fight it off as much as I could, but ... the lingering feeling still remained. Fortunatley, we knew that the brunette teen would still have a family, no matter what happened.

_If the worst comes to the worst, we'll still be there for her. _


	51. Chapter 51: Cluster Headache

**Chapter 51: Cluster Headache**

**E-S**

"Hey, um, I saw this mannequin earlier which was wrapped up in golden blankets and looked like it was sleeping. Honestly, I think that there could be more of those and finding them may be the solution to our problem."

"That's pretty cool, Elise! Do you know where the one you came across is?"

"Yes, it's right over there, by the staircase."

My emerald green eyes followed the direction Elise was pointing in, and we discovered that she was right. A mannequin wrapped up in golden blankets was definitely standing by the staircase we descended, not too long ago. Honestly, I was very excited to be getting one step closer to our goal! Soon, we would find our way down to the prison, help Megan defeat Sullivan and escape from the otherworlds. It ... It actually felt like yesterday when I first met my new friends and teamed up with them!

_I wouldn't mind at all if they joined my group! They're a really nice bunch!_

Once I began closing the distance between the mannequin and myself, Tails and the others followed me. I couldn't blame most of my friends for feeling frightened about what the mannequin was going to do. But if finding these was gonna solve our current situation, then so be it. Just as I reached out to grasp the blankets, an angered voice forced us to jump out of our fur, allowing startled screams to leave our mouths.

"_I told you we shouldn't have a baby, didn't I?__!_"

"Did the ... Did the mannequin just ... _speak_?!" Crash yelped in terror, clutching Eddie tightly who looked just as frightened as he was. "If it did, then I'm outta here!"

"Yes Crash, it did," Ellie answered, staring at the superintendent's room with excitement overwhelming her. "But, look at the door! One of the chains has fallen down, so we have five more left!"

"Let's go!" Manny shouted to get our attentions, walking off to find the second mannequin with us in tow. As we entered the hallway on the other side of the lobby, we noticed a small number of sniffer dogs and two twin-victims patrolling the area, almost like they were guarding it. But on the bright side, I managed to catch sight of our next mannequin on our list.

"There it is!" I cried out, curling myself up into a ball and performing a spin dash on the nearest monster I could find. Elise immediately followed my lead by pumping several bullets into the next one, with Shadow's assistance. Once all the sniffer dogs were down, we focused on those two twin-victims who were pointing at us with bony fingers and whispering a single word we could very well, shockingly.

"Reciever!"

"Wrong person." Faker muttered as I launched myself at the first one, performing a series of homing attacks on it. Thankfully, it didn't take long to take it and its' friend down. Just like I did with the first one, I cautiously reached out to grasp the mannequin's golden blankets when we heard that same furious voice again!

"_Oh, shut the hell up! You can't blame it all on me!_"

"This is freaking me out," Tails shuddered, wanting to get into the superintendent's room. "So much..."

"I don't blame you there, buddy," I repiled, flashing my trademark smile to comfort my little bro. "Let's keep moving, guys."

We soon found the next one in the room nearest the door we came through, but unfortunately there were two wall-men blocking our paths. Thankfully, they were easy to take care off and because of that, it didn't take long for us to reach the third mannequin. Even though we all knew the freaky voice was coming, my friends and I were gradually becoming used to it as we came across the other mannequins hiding in the apartment. Yeah. Strange, I know.

"_Stupid little crybaby!_"

"I'm sorry guys, this is getting weirder and weirder." Amy murmured, feeling startled as she took in her surroundings. Then as she continued speaking, our pink friend's mouth curled up into a bright relieved smile. "But, I suppose we have three more chains left to take down! So, that's good!"

As my friends and I continued the search, I couldn't help but let Megan drift into my thoughts. It had been a long period of time since we last saw her and even though I didn't show it, I was _really _worried about her well-being. I mean, we didn't know if she was doing okay! I imagined that the younger girl had tried to contact us during this time but had trouble doing so, because of what was happening. We all didn't know how encountering the madman would turn out... We'd either get down to the prison and help Megan defeat Sullivan or arrive and find that she killed him herself.

To tell the truth, I believed that the brunette kid was brave and capable enough to do the latter, as I've seen her take down dozens of monsters before. She was always the first to save our lives whenever we ended up in danger and prevented me from suffering the same fate as Elise unfortunatley did! I had a bit of a feeling that Megan would probably be heavily affected by this ordeal, physically and emotionally due to what we've been through. If she was, we were going to help our young friend heal, smile and live life to the fullest, enjoying every part of it...

_No matter what happens in our upcoming encounter with Sullivan, Megan will still have a family..._

Soon, we managed to find the six mannequins and all of the chains had disappeared from the superintendent's door, giving us permission to finally enter the room! It looked ... rather normal, almost similar to the complex our own superintendent lived in. Dark blue-green walls, normal furniture. The only thing that caught our eyes was a small red box sitting on a nearby brown shelf. Hey, that's the box Joseph told us about back in Room 302 of the Past! Grinning with relief surging through me, I gave Tails, Elise, Amy and the others a thumbs-up before I reached out to grab our target. Just as I was about to open the lid, a horrid and freaky smell suddenly made me want to put the box back on the shelf!

_Yeesh... What's that awful smell inside?_

Fighting back the urge, I pulled the lid off the box gently, not realising that an intense and powerful wave of agony was beginning to surge through my head. Once I saw what was inside, everything just went completely white! This only lasted for a couple of seconds, but during the painful vision I had, three things flashed at an _incredibly _fast pace!

_A new-born baby. An umbilical cord. A man and a woman standing outside their apartment door. _

I snapped back to reality with a scream of agony escaping my mouth, forcing me to drop to my knees in pain. "_AAAAAAAAHHHH!_ _Argh! _M-M-My head!"

Tails, Amy and Elise instantly dropped down beside me, attempting to comfort me whilst Manny and the Herd stared at us with concern overwhelming them. "Sonic! Are you okay?!" Peaches, Louis and Amy all gasped, the latter wrapping her arm around my shoulder. "Yeah!" My little bro added, with worry lacing his tone. "What happened, Sonic?!"

"I'm ... I'm fine," I repiled, panting as I struggled to fight back the pain which was gradually fading away. "I think I-"

I didn't even get the chance to finish my sentence, because the low booming sound of a bell began to echo across the entire apartment. Elise offered to assist me in pulling myself up to my feet, which I accepted. "Thanks," I hummed appericatively.

"You're welcome," She repiled, smiling at me. Having remembered what Joseph said, I kept the umbilical cord's box in a tight grip, relieved that the cord was going to be safe. But then, a realisation soon hit me like a punch in the face from Knux.

_The bell was siginalling our upcoming fight with our assilant. And, that only meant one thing._

"Guys," I said, realising that my friends and I had limited time to get down to the prison. "We gotta get to Room 302, now."

_Megan and her parents' lives were on the line..._


	52. Chapter 52: Heart of Room 302

**Author's Note: **

**Hey everyone! This is the last chapter, before the final boss battle! Dun, dun, dun! In the next chapter, we'll be able to see Megan again and things are about to get epic in the story's finale! I actually can't believe we made it up this point! :)**

**Feel free to leave reviews and hope you all have a happy Christmas! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 52: Heart of Room 302**

One by one, my friends and I exited the superintendent's room, knowing full well that time was slowly beginning to run out for Megan and her parents. A sonic boom burst out of me as I sprinted up the staircase at an incredibly fast pace. Chaos, I haven't run that fast in a while! I mean sure, I've done it a couples of times in my previous adventures but ... even I was suprised about how quick I was sprinting through the rooms and fighting enemies which were blocking our way, determined to keep us from getting our younger human friend out of danger and escaping from the otherworlds.

_Maybe ... Maybe Megan did mean a lot to me, just like how Tails, Amy, Elise and the others do._

My little bro had noticed how fast I was going, as he got his signature tails working and began flying alongside me. He wasn't the only one who saw this, as Elise, Amy and Knuckles quickly caught up with me, knowing the reason why I was running faster than I normally would. Meanwhile, Manny and the Herd were gasping for breath as they struggled to catch up with us.

"Guys, _wait__!_" Granny shouted, frantically. "Slow down!"

_Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down?! ... I'm sorry, guys. Even though I'll happily wait for you all, we still need to rescue Megan from Sullivan!_

Despite wanting to keep going, I stopped to let our pre-historic friends catch up. "Thank you," Granny muttered, glowering angrily at me. "Please slow down a bit, so we can keep up next time!"

I groaned in annoyance. "You're talking to the fastest thing alive here! I can't go slow!"

"Well, you have to!" The elderly female sloth yelled, raising her stick to attack me. But just before she did, Tails stepped in front of me and glared at Granny. "_Stop! _Listen, Sonic hates going slow and Megan needs us right now! We all only go this fast, whenever one of our friends is in danger!"

_I gotta agree there, bro. At least, some members of the Herd understand._

"Tails is right," Sid added. "If we don't get into the prison soon, we're going to lose Megan. Granny, you don't want that to happen, do you?!"

"No!" The female sloth repiled, allowing slight guilt to lace her tone as she gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away there."

Throwing a thumbs-up in her direction, I flashed my trademark smile cheerfully. "Hey, don't worry about it! It's cool!"

Honestly, I wasn't really expecting that to happen. I was _literally _bracing myself for the older sloth to whack me in the head with her stick, before Tails and Sid thankfully stopped her. Even though she was a bit of annoyance sometimes, Granny was a kind and caring friend who was always willing to help us, whenever we got into trouble.

_Heheh, kinda similar to how a couple of my old friends and allies occasionally were with me, I guess._

"Alright, let's go!" Manny shouted, walking ahead and gesturing for me to lead the way with him. "We'll be right behind you," Elise responded, catching up to us with my little bro, Amy, Knuckles and the Herd in tow.

As we all fought our way past the monsters, I couldn't help but ponder on what was going to occur soon. To tell the truth, I had a feeling that as soon as we found Megan, she would have already defeated Sullivan on her own. She was more than capable of taking opponents down herself as she and the Herd prevented me from becoming the next victim on our attacker's Round 4 list, thus saving my life!

_Now, I was going to return the favour and save hers._

"Argh! I wish this bell would just shut up!" Knux groaned angrily, as he knocked a twin-victim out with a single punch to the head.

"You and me both!" Flynn replied, whacking a mannequin into the wall using his belly. "It will stop, soon!"

To be honest, I couldn't help but agree with them. If Megan was here with us, she'd probably feel the same way about the bell's constant ringing. Speaking of, it probably would be a positive idea if I tried contacting her on the communicator again! I mean..., we haven't heard from our younger friend in ages! I wasn't the only one who wanted to know if her injuries had healed completely and if she was okay. But at the same time, we all knew that we'd get to find out shortly which was good!

I assumed it wouldn't take us long to get up to the third floor, but due to the monsters that were roaming the areas, it took a lot longer than expected. Normally I'd be able to take on these monsters in a flash, but ... Sullivan's otherworlds were proving to be a _very_ difficult challenge for us! Maybe, this was our attacker's way of preventing us from reaching Megan in time and stopping his ritual? We weren't going to let that stop us, but ... my friends and I had a gut feeling that the crazed serial killer wasn't going to give our friend and her parents up without a fight.

_If he wants one, then bring it on!_

"Hey guys, I think we're almost up there!" Manny shouted as he whacked a lying figure with his trunk, finishing it off with a stomp to the head. "Let's keep moving!"

Upon hearing Manny's words, I sprinted ahead of everyone and broke the sound barrier with a sonic boom. We were so close to saving Megan, and I wasn't going to let anything stand in our way! "There's our room!" Amy cried out, catching up with me. One by one, we burst through the door and slammed it shut, just after Buck and Flynn entered.

The otherworld's version of Room 302 had certainly seen better days. The walls, floor, kitchen and living room furniture were covered in rust and blood, top to bottom. What made things even more gross was that the air was completely heavy, due to the ceiling fan falling down ages ago. Despite the surroundings making us uncomfortable, there was only one other thing that caught our attention.

"Hey," Elise whispered, pointing towards the couch. "Look who's over there,"

I turned in the direction she pointed in, and my jaw literally dropped. "Oh, chaos..."

Sleeping on Room 302's couch, was a blonde pale woman in her thirties. Her hair flowed down her back, stopping at her waist and her outfit consisted of a long-sleeved white dress with matching heels. What startled us even more was the fact that the kid we encountered earlier was sitting beside her, sobbing and desperately shaking her. Whenever my friends and I tried to call out to him, he just kept begging the woman to wake up from her sleep, not addressing us whatsoever.

_Okay, that's got to be Sullivan's mother, I know it is._

To tell the truth, we didn't know how she'd feel if she found about the murders. Probably disappointed and shocked. Back in Room 302 of the Past, Henry mentioned that he tried to convince Sullivan that his mother wouldn't be happy with him. But the serial killer didn't believe that, for one second! He was _so _convinced that his mother would be pleased about what he did to reunite with her! If I was Sullivan, I would have handled the process differently and not run off killing lots of people, just to find my mom!

Stepping into the back room of the apartment, my friends and I discovered multiple books revealing information about the 21 Sacraments which we read. There were also some weird objects placed on a table that presumably belonged to the cult Sullivan grew up with. "This is so freaky..." Amy shuddered uncomfortably.

"You're right about that, Ames..." I repiled, glancing over to see a meduim-sized hole with a small piece of rusty metal attached to it. My eyes widened, as a realisation suddenly hit me. "Guys, look at this! That's got to be our way down to the prison!"

"Finally!" Buck grinned, as he and everyone else approached it. But then, the weasel's smile faded as he took the sight in. "Oh... I don't think it's large enough for us all to fit in. Judging by the hole's size, it looks like only one of us can go through."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! _WHAT?!_" I shouted, with my eyes wide as saucers. I didn't want to leave my friends behind if the situation came to it, but ... Buck was right. Only one of us could fit in. And guess who that was going to be?! "No, I'm not leaving you all!"

"Hey don't worry, Sonic!" Tails exclaimed. "I think there should be another way somewhere! We'll simply use that route and meet you down in the prison soon!"

"Wait a minute," Manny interrupted, with confusion lacing his tone. "Didn't Eileen say that this was the only way down?"

"Yes, she did." Shadow butted in. "But, she also said it's possible that there's another route we could take down. If we can't find it, we'll come back here and use this hole to get to the prison."

_Hey, there could be another route somewhere... Hopefully, there is!_

"And besides," Knux added, agreeing with my little bro. "You defeated Eggman and saved Elise on the Egg Carrier, nine years ago! If you can do that, then you can do the same thing with the crazy guy and the kid!"

"Tails and Knuckles are right," Amy put in, smiling at me. "You have rescued so many lives before! Which is why you should get down to the prison, save Megan and defeat that crazed killer! We all believe in you, Sonic!"

"Go get him, Sonic." Elise said in a supporting tone, nodding to show that she believed in me. "And please bring Megan and her parents back safely."

Upon hearing my friends' words of encouragement, my spirits began lifting up again! "I will do, I promise! I'll see you guys soon!"

Manny, Ellie, Peaches and the Herd also gave us encouraging words, which brightened my spirits even further. Looking back at my friends one last time, I took a deep breath and jumped into the hole without hesitation. We were a step closer to saving Megan and we weren't going to give up until we found her! I'm coming, kiddo... Just do what you can to keep Sullivan busy, until I get there!

_I promise that my team and I will be with you, after we escape!_


	53. Chapter 53: Fractured Emotions

**Author's Note: **

**Hi everyone, apologies for not having updated sooner. A little head's up, there's an event that may come across as _very_ frightening. The reason why it occurs here is that due to what he does to Cynthia and Eileen in the first half of Silent Hill 4, the event in this chapter would most likely be something that Walter Sullivan would do to a victim. I will admit, I felt really awful for writing it and I nearly stopped, because what Sullivan does to Megan is _really _twisted. So, do let me know if you all think the rating should bounce up to M. If the event is too much to handle and if you want to skip this chapter, feel free. :(**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading the final boss battle. After this, it's the epilogue. *is happy and sad at the same time***

* * *

**Chapter 53: Fractured Emotions**

**S-M**

_It's going to be okay... Everything's gonna be fine..._

Ever since the ambush I went through seconds after escaping from my cell, I did not stop sprinting until I managed to lose the monster who assisted the man in the coat in killing Maria. The sounds of his footsteps and gigantic knife scraping the floor thankfully died down, and were replaced with a machine's loud and steady roaring. I couldn't hear Mum's frightened screams anymore, which lead to my panic increasing even further. Hundreds of questions were running through my head, all at the same time!

_Was she okay? Where is she? What happened to Dad, and is he alright too?!_

My parents weren't the only ones whom I was worried about because I didn't see Team Sonic and the Herd since I tried to break Ellie, Peaches, Shira and the others out of their prison cells. My friends were probably either in the final otherworld or back in the real world, having escaped to safety. If the latter was true, then I was glad and relieved that they were doing okay. To be honest ... I thought that my friends were already out of the otherworlds, because I attempted to contact them with my communicator a few minutes prior. But unfortunatley, I didn't get a response. Oh well... At least everyone managed to escape, that was good for me.

_Now, I need to focus on defeating the man, saving my family and getting out of the nightmare worlds aswell._

Taking in my surroundings, the prison was a little less darker than how it was before. A bright light surrounded a _very _long staircase in front of me, almost like ... it was beckoning me to ascend it and find out if someone happened to be waiting at the top. That was probably where my parents were being held! My instincts were screaming at me to sprint up straight away, but I held myself back for the time being. I didn't want to charge in unprepared, you know? I noticed that there were two tables lined together on my right, both filled with numerous books and objects belonging to some magical kingdom or cult. Adjusting my ponytail quickly, I walked over to the tables and picked up one of the books, reading every detail to see if I could find some useful information.

"_I had that weird dream today. T__he one with the man with the long hair and coat. __He was crying and looking for his mother again. __I saw that man with the coat 10 years ago at this apartment. He was going up the stairs, carrying a heavy tool, an old-looking bowl and a bag that was dripping blood_."

"Ew..." I muttered quietly in disgust, after reading the last part. However ... I didn't know what to say about the first part of the paragraph. Maybe ... Maybe the man in this guy's dream and the one my friends and I came across are the same?! Damn, I'm gonna have to read more if I want to find out. Pulling myself together, I continued on. "Okay..."

"_I never saw him again after that. But a few days later, the neighbours complained that they heard strange noises coming from the supposedly empty Room 302. So, I took a look around and found signs that someone had been in there, but nothing odd other than that. But that's when it all started. I still hear strange noises coming from the window of Room 302 - Sunderland._"

Without hesitation, I grabbed the next book I could find and began reading through that, feeling slightly startled by what I read previously. "Alright..." I sighed uncomfortably. "Got any other information you want to tell me?"

"_Crimson Tome:_

_She who is called the "Holy Mother"_  
_be not holy one whit._  
_The "Descent of the Holy Mother" is_  
_naught but the Descent of the Devil._

_There that be called the "21 Sacraments"_  
_be not sacramental one whit._  
_The "21 Sacraments" be naught but the_ _21 Heresies._

_To give birth to a realm of wickedness_  
_within the blessed realm of our Lord be_ _b__lasphemy and the work of the Devil._

_If thou would stop the Descent of the_  
_Devil, you must bury part of the_  
_Conjurer's mother's flesh within the_ C_onjurer's true body._

_Thou must also pierce the Conjurer's_  
_flesh with the 8 spears of "Void,"_  
_"Darkness," "Gloom," "Despair,"_  
_"Temptation," "Source,"_  
_"Watchfulness" and "Chaos."_  
_Do so and the Conjurer's unholy flesh_  
_will become that which once it was,_  
_by the grace of our Lord._"

At this point, I didn't say anything as I was currently brainstorming on why I was presented with this piece of information. I had a gut feeling that the final section was something I had to do shortly. If this was going to help me stop our attacker's twisted plot and give me the chance to save my family, I'd do it! I was so close now and I wasn't going to let anything stop me! Panting, I frantically searched the tables for weapons and other useful objects; managing to find an already loaded pistol and a small red box with a rather disgusting smell coming from the inside.

_The part of the Conjurer's mother's flesh must be in that box then. I better take it with me._

After grabbing the box and any other items I could find, I was ready to face the threat that awaited me. As I ascended the staircase, lots of thoughts and questions began entering my head at once. I was hoping and praying that I would be able to save my parents! If ... If I ended up losing them to this ordeal ... I don't know what I'd do. They'd want me to live life to the fullest in the time I have, and find something to fight for. I would do it for them, definetly but ... I don't know how I'd be able to cope if the worst happened...

_I just hope that I'll be able to save my parents in time..._

Shaking my thoughts away, I finished ascending the staircase and was instantly greeted with a horrific sight. Sitting in a lake of blood in the centre of the room was a massive and circular medivial-like machine. It consisted of several long rings with sharp spikes criss crossing repeatedly and creating small waves in the lake. On the outside of the platform I stood on were eight tall headstones; four on both sides. And sitting between them was this _gigantic _monster who was tied up with a large number of cords! I was glad that it was unable to reach me, but ... that and the disturbing machine weren't the only problems I had.

_Because, guess who else was in the room?!_

Standing about fourteen feet away from me, was the man in the blue coat. Beneath his dirty-blonde locks, his piercing green eyes lit up with amusement when they made contact with my wide fearful ones. Hiding my knife, pistol and the small red box in my jean pockets, I forced a frightened scream back when the monster suddenly decided to let out a thundering roar. Just seconds afterwards, I could hear a child's sobs echoing throughout the arena. It reminded me of one of the passages I read earlier, which lead to a very unsettling realisation...

"Mom, mooom! Let me in! _Moooooom!_"

"Hey there, little Walter!" The man bellowed in a uncharacteristic comforting tone, opening his arms and raising them up slightly. "_Just _a little longer now!"

_This man was the deceased serial killer, Walter Sullivan. _

Looking back on this, I felt really stupid for not realising it sooner. If I found out the reason why he was committing all the murders earlier, I would have attempted to convince him that what he did was wrong. Maybe our situation would have turned out differently, if I learned about his past and the reason why he was doing this rampage sooner! Shaking my thoughts away for the time being, my panic increased further when my eyes landed on a walkway and staircase heading down towards the machine, with two _very familiar _people standing on it.

_Oh no... Nononono! Please don't tell me they're who I think they are! PLEASE!_

My mother and father stood on the walkway, a few metres away from the staircase. Judging from how severe their injuries were, they looked like they went through hell. What made things even worse was the fact that their eyes were now a dull and lifeless red, instantly telling me that they had been possessed by Sullivan. I tried calling out to them desperately, but my parents didn't respond. I even considered finding a route past my crazed attacker to reach them, but I knew there was _no way _he was going to let me save my loved ones that easily! My features twisted into a thunderous glare when I looked at Sullivan. He seemed to be _very _pleased that he had the upper hand.

_Well not for long, you won't! If you want to kill my family and friends so badly, you're gonna have to go through me! _

"I see you discovered who I am, Megan." The serial killer addressed me calmly, lowering his arms and drawing a machete from his coat. Whoa, whoa, wait! _How in the freaking hell do you know my name?! _"I am under the assumption that you are wanting to know why I've led you here, and I will tell you." His sadistic grin widened as he took a couple of steps towards me. "You, your parents and Sonic the Hedgehog are the only ones left. Once the four of you are dead ... I will be able to stay with Mother, away from this _cruel _world. Where no one can treat me badly."

I ... I didn't know what to say. Judging from the way this guy spoke, he was mistreated and abused by his peers when he was younger, adults included! Now, I believe that everyone should be treated as equals respectfully. It doesn't matter if someone has a condition such as my one, for example. If someone is nice to me, I'll be nice to them. Sullivan was different, however. Sure, I felt bad for him due to the abuse he went through as a kid, but ... I was outraged due to the murders he committed! Killing 24 people to reunite with your mother?! That sounded a bit extreme!

_I can't believe I'm saying this, but ... I was torn between two possibilities. I could either convince him that what he did was wrong or kill him right there._

_Guess which one I chose?_

"Look," I began, cautiously. "What you did, was wrong. Do you _really think _that your mother will be pleased with you, upon discovering that you killed _24_ innocent people?! Just to reunite with her?!" Yep, I decided to try and stop him from continuing his rampage by convincing him. I knew that I wouldn't get a good result, but I had to do it! Maybe if Sullivan realised what he did was terrible, things would have turned out better!

But, _nooope! _The serial killer crossed the line when he responded to my attempts at talking some sense into him. "Shut the hell up! Nothing can stop me from awakening my mother! Those children at your school were right about you. Everyone you know would feel _a lot better _if you lost every single thing you loved _and _your own life."

All the worries I had were gone, and replaced with panic, hurt and anger. Just as he finished his sentence, my parents both took a couple of steps forward. I had limited time to save my family from suffering the same fates as Elise, Maria, Cybil, Eileen, Henry and the other victims did. I wasn't going to let anyone else die! Not after everything my friends and I went through! Sonic, Tails, Manny and the others were back in the real world safe, which meant that Sullivan's crazy plot was going to fail. That was good, but I didn't want to risk losing my kind and caring family to this madness aswell!

Breathing with intense panic surging through me, I turned around and sprinted towards the monster, fishing the small red box out of my jean pockets. Seconds after I opened it and grabbed the umbilical cord, I threw the latter as far as I could! Once it hit the monster, it somehow magically glued itself to the creature, forcing a spear to show up on each of the headstones as the monster let out a horriyfing shriek of agony. Sullivan had also fallen down in pain, seemingly connected to the former.

_Okayokayokay! Y-Y-You got this, Megan! You got this! Next: Grab the eight spears and stab the monster with them!_

Without hesitation, I began grabbing the first four spears and plunging them into the huge creature, looking back at my parents every so often with my panic rising faster and faster. Thankfully, Sullivan was distracted by the pain he endured which gave me more time to achieve my goal. Upon noticing that my mum and dad had taken another three steps forward, I sprinted over to the monster's right side and repeated the process of stabbing it with the next four spears. Once that was done, the creature gave an agonising howl which made Sullivan become vunerable to damage. Struggling to calm myself down, I fished my gun out of my pocket in case if he tried anything, just as he grabbed his own pistol and aimed it at me.

"Can't you see that you're going to die here?" My opponent demanded, smirking sadistically as he realised how frightened I was. "You _and _your loved ones?!"

"Maybe," I responded, trying to stop myself from shaking. "But I'm not going to let anyone else die in this crazy rampage of yours! Everyone deserves a chance to live life to the fullest in the time they have and enjoy every second of it! Why can't you see that killing people is wrong?! Please ... _Please_ _stop this rampage! _Let us help you prevent this from continuing and move on!"

_There's gotta be a way to assist him in realising that he did something wrong!_

"_Not a chance!_" Sullivan replied icily, firing bullets nonstop at me. I managed to dodge a few and shoot back, but bad news. I ended up getting struck twice in my left shoulder, screaming in pain once the two bullets met their target. I had enough. I tried everything I could to convince him that what he did was wrong, and he _didn't believe me! _As much as I didn't want to, I realised that I had no choice but to kill him. If I wanted to survive, save my family and reunite with Team Sonic and the Herd, Sullivan would have to go down. Hissing in pain and breathing heavily, I aimed my pistol at my opponent and fired several bullets back, only just managing to hit him in his left rib, forcing a pained yell out of him.

Glaring daggers at me, he charged forward and just seconds after I managed to dodge, I found myself unfortunatley getting tackled to the ground. We were both wrestling, attempting to gain the upper hand. Looking back every so often at my parents worriedly, I managed to fish my switchblade knife out and plunge it into his left shoulder, struggling to break free. My hopes were soon dashed when his fist connected with my left eye. _Hard_. After a pained scream escaped my mouth, I managed to stab him with my switchblade knife three more times, before he tightly wrapped his hands around my neck and started choking me. I began twisting, turning and thrashing to break free from his grasp, violently gasping for breath. But once I looked back at the machine ... my fears became even worse!

Oh_ ... F*ck! F*ck! Non__ononononono! They're getting closer to their deaths! I can't lose them! Not my parents! Please don't ... Please... I don't know what I'd do if I lost my family! Pleasedon'tmakemylovedonesdie! PLEAAASE!_

I fought as hard as I could to pull myself up to my feet and stay awake, but due to Sullivan wrestling me down and the darkness surrounding my vision, it was impossible! Eventually, I was forced to give up ... and slowly drifted into unconsciousness, overwhelmed from everything I went through. I was still going to try and suceed in saving those I loved! But ... But, I didn't know if I had enough strength to continue...

_I was so close to saving my parents' lives! I can't give up now! NOOO!_

...

Looking back on this, I hoped that I wasn't out for too long as I knew I didn't have a lot of time left to accomplish my goal. As I slowly came to, I felt a heavy weight on my stomach which instantly told me that I was trapped. That wasn't the only thing that bothered me, as my parents were still in danger and black dots were dancing in my vision. Judging by how hard I collided to the ground, I probably had a concussion. Twisting, turning and struggling to break free, I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at an enraged Sullivan who was holding a burning hot needle in his left hand and grabbing my throat with the other, glancing at my exposed stomach with a menacing smile.

_Nononono! I know what you're going to do! Please don't do it! Please...!_

Right there and then, I knew what he planned to do. He was going to do the sickest and most horrible thing _ever_. It was something that would leave me heavily traumatised and frightened for a long period of time. Grunting and wheezing in pain, I thrashed around and fought to break free of the serial killer's grasp, noticing his machete lying a few metres away. He must have dropped his weapon at some point, whilst I was stabbing the monster with the spears. My opponent didn't see it as he was heavily focused on torturing me. What made things even worse was the fact that my parents had reached the half-way point of the staircase during the time I was unconscious! If I didn't finish Sullivan off soon, I'd end up losing my family! I threw my left arm up towards the machete and blindly attempted to grab it, with desperation surging through me.

_Argh...! Don't give up now, Megan! Don't give up now!_

"This will all be over soon." My opponent whispered in my ear calmly, grinning in a creepy manner as he slowly lowered the needle towards my stomach. I knew what was coming. The next couple of seconds were absolute torture! I'm not going to describe exactly what happened, but I can tell you this. As he carved a message, I tried _so hard _to escape! The pain I endured was unbearable, which lead to me letting out an agonising bloodcurdling scream until my throat became raw! I felt sick, and I wanted the torture to end. Throughout the entire thing, Sullivan was staring down at me with a twisted and satisfied grin. Almost like ... It was almost like he was _enjoying _this. My pained screams were like music to his ears ... and he wanted to listen further. Team Sonic and the Herd weren't around to help and my parents had been possessed, so I had to get out of the situation myself. And I did, by managing to grab the machete and without hesitation, plunging it into Sullivan's right arm. He screamed painfully, rolling off me. I immediately took my chance by straddling him and raising the machete above me. My opponent only got the opportunity to scream once. I plunged the now bloodied machete into him, over, and over, and over, and over again! Rage and fear surged through me as I kept going! I couldn't stop! My ears were ringing, my vision was blurry and my face was now heavily caked with blood. _I couldn't stop!_

"_MEGAN!_"

One of the voices I thought I'd never hear again, snapped me back to reality for a split second. But I didn't know who it was as I kept plunging my weapon into the now dead serial killer to make sure that he was never going to get back up and haunt me and my loved ones ever again. Things got even worse when a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around my waist and pulled me off, influencing me to violently lash out with terror, screaming as I kicked, punched and attempted to twist my way out of the individual's grip desperately. But he was _just too strong!_ "_NOOOO! Don't f*cking touch me! NO!_"

"_Stop, stop!_ Ssh, Sshh, Look! It's me, it's me, it's me! Look, look!"

I eventually had to give up trying to escape, because the individual's hands had now cupped my face. My vision began clearing, which gave me the chance to get a good look at who this person was. Green eyes which matched my own... Cobalt blue...

"_Sonic?!_"

"It's me, Megan..."

The fastest thing alive was right in front of me, sporting injuries which looked similar to my own. He wasn't the only one who arrived because our other friends were here too. Tails, Elise, Amy, Manny, Diego, everyone! Gasping for breath with tears beginning to brim, my eyes quickly scanned the staircase, desperatley wanting to see if my parents were okay. To my great relief, they were as they sprinted over to where we were, as fast as their legs could carry them.

_Oh thank god...!_

"_MEGAN!_" Mum screamed, reaching us and pulling me into her arms, hugging me tightly. "Are you alright?!"

"What the hell happened to you?!" Dad yelled, with worry lacing his tone.

"H-H-He ... He tried to ... _He tried to—!_" I attempted to answer, but failed to finish as I broke down sobbing, _finally_ allowing the pain and sorrow I kept bottled up to fly free. I felt _so relieved _that my parents were alive, I felt guilty about the deaths of Elise, Maria and Cybil and I felt terrified about what could have been if I didn't manage to grab the machete moments ago. Sensing this, Mum didn't hesitate to tighten her grip on me and tried to calm me down by whispering into my ear: "It's okay, it's okay..."

"_Mum!_" I tearfully squealed, feeling traumatised by all of the negative events that happened since I came home from school that day. "It's okay now..." My mother reassured me, becoming aware that I was now violently shaking. Flashbacks of the ordeal entered my head. Failing to save nearly four friends from death. Fighting tooth and nail to survive. Making sure that my friends managed to escape the otherworlds unscathed. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Team Sonic and the Herd had stayed longer to find me, but ... I guess we've all become a family. I would have done the same thing if they were in danger, staying behind to save them. _I mean ... it's what you do when you're with your family and friends, you look out for them, make sure that they're doing well and that they're happy... _Mum soon pulled away to allow Sonic, Tails and Elise to latch themselves onto me as my cries slowly died down.

"We're all so sorry that we didn't arrive sooner!" The latter revealed, allowing her voice to crack slightly with emotion. I nodded to tell Elise that she didn't need to apologise. Sullivan most likely threw tons of obstacles in my friends' directions, attempting to prevent them from reaching me earlier. If that was the case, then I understood. "I-I ... I thought you guys ... I thought you guys were—"

"Back in the real world?" Sonic interrupted, scoffing slightly and wearing his trademark grin to cheer me up. "We don't leave our friends behind!"

"Sonic's right, kiddo." Diego butted in, placing a paw on my shoulder. "It's what you do in a herd, after all."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but let a tiny smile crease my cheeks. Mum and Dad both took the chance to thank my friends for helping me out during the ordeal and they were immediately greeted with a series of "You're welcome" and "We'd happily do it again!". Afterwards, we all began the trek out of Sullivan's nightmare worlds, not looking back once at the horrors we went through. I was able to move for a good bit but unfortunately had to stop, thanks to how bad my injuries were. Sonic noticed this and took my left arm, wrapping it around his shoulder and took hold of me with his right hand, letting me lean against him. Wincing in pain, I gave him a weak grin to say "Thanks" and he smiled back in response. During our walk out, I kept looking at my parents with relief and they returned the gesture, feeling just as happy as I was. Manny and Diego were both right. It is what you do on a herd, looking out for each other.

_ I think that's happened with us... We've come together as a family..._


	54. Chapter 54: Epilogue

**Author's Note: **

**Hey everyone! Well, this is it! The epilogue! Man, what a ride this was. :) I am thinking about continuing on with Megan, Sonic and the other characters, so hopefully something will come up soon. In the meantime, I'd like to say a BIG thank you to those who read and reviewed, your support definitely means a lot! :)**

**Feel free to tell me your thoughts and I'll see you all again with the next project! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 54: Epilogue**

_Well, here we are. Two months have passed since my family and I survived and escaped from the otherworlds._

It was all over the newspapers for a while; rumours of a serial killer lurking in the shadows, Elise being found dead in Soleanna, Cybil being discovered back in Lakeside Amusement Park and Sonic's attack in Room 303 of our apartment complex. I thought they'd mention Maria but ... I guess the police probably didn't go to that part of Silent Hill. The Herd and I were only mentioned in passing, but we weren't bothered about it. Everyone seemed to be focused on the murders and the attack, wanting to know when Sonic was going to be released from St. Jerome's Hospital and if he was doing okay. That was fine with us.

_We were just glad that everyone made it out unscathed. But ... But some of us had scars, meaning they had become traumatised and heavily affected by the ordeal. _

_I'm one of those people._

Every night, I sometimes find myself waking up and screaming due to the nightmares I get. They often involve me being forced to watch every member of my family die at Sullivan's hands and relive the worst moments of our journey. I tell myself that he's not coming back. But due to a certain message he carved into me, I wasn't so sure. Whenever I look at my reflection, I will always see that small message as a reminder of what happened back in those otherworlds.

**"I am not done with you all."**

**"Walter."**

Due to my frantic attempts to escape, there was also a 'C' inserted slightly above the message itself. When my family and friends found out, they were outraged. Dad, Knuckles and Shadow wanted to kill Sullivan themselves for what he did to me, but they knew that I beat them to it. Mum, Amy, Ellie, Peaches and Shira were all angered by the event too; believing that those my age and younger should never have to go through something horrible and traumatising like that.

_I agreed with them 100%._

I try to keep my mind off the carving by doing the things that any teenager would do; socialise with friends (in my case, Team Sonic and the Herd), fire up my console and play some of Sonic's games with my family, anything. But memories of the fight I had with Sullivan and the events that occured prior, still flash in my head from time to time. On the bright side, my loved ones are doing well. They sometimes wake up screaming from nightmares, some which are similar to my own. I do what I can to help my parents, Sonic's group and Manny's family get back on their feet, and they return the favour. We've grown a lot closer since the ordeal. I sometimes join my idols on their adventures and assist them with any threats that jump in their way. The possibility of Eggman returning is one of those problems. But if he does decide to show up, we'll be ready for him! Sonic's been fighting him for 24 years now. I just know that our blue friend will beat Baldy McNose Hair again, if the latter reveals a new plan to take over the world.

_Who knows what's going to happen in the future? The possibilites are endless, after all..._

After my family and I got released from the hospital, I got a really pleasant surprise from Sonic. He told me that during our trip through the otherworlds, he was wearing Chip's bracelet and allowed me to get a close look at it. I knew that my blue friend often wore it to remember all the positive times he shared with Chip during their adventure. I'll admit, I sometimes allow one of my favourite scenes from 'Unleashed' drift into my thoughts, which involves the two play-fighting over a dumpling in Chun-Nan and ending with the blue blur's smaller friend getting his head stuck in a pot. That part was so funny! I laughed so hard when I first watched it, nearly as hard as my blue friend did! I told him about it, and he couldn't help but grin at the memory. It was really nice to find out that Sonic still wears Chip's bracelet to remember him. I ... I guess in that way, the latter was tagging along with us in the otherworlds, helping Sonic back in St. Jerome's Hospital before we all met and assisting us whenever we found ourselves in a negative situation.

_If that was the case ... thank you Chip! _

Mum and Dad recently revealed their plans to move out of Silver Lake and live somewhere far away from Ashfield. Suprisenly, Team Sonic were also planning to move out and they decided to join us. We've been looking at different cities and writing down the things we liked about them. There ... There is one city in particular that caught my eye for some reason. It's called Stilwater and I heard that a lot of things had happened there 5 years prior. I remember hearing a news report, revealing the details of a sudden boat explosion. Several people, including a well-known figure were found dead, but the police did find a woman who was in a coma. I don't know why that city caught my eye though. When I told my parents about it, they searched for it on the internet and revealed that it seemed to be a good place to put on our list. Brahms was also one of the other options, due to the amazing views of the mountains you get at sunrise and sunset. The third choice we had was another apartment complex on the outskirts of Ashfield called 'Daisy Villa'. That didn't seem too bad, either.

_But despite the event that occured in Stilwater 5 years back, it looked like a pretty cool place._

Sonic's team and I still keep in touch with the Herd. It didn't take long for us to find them as the hole in my bedroom was still there, when we returned from St. Jerome's. My loved ones and I were _very _thankful that Switchback Cove was the only place we could visit through the hole, as we loathed the thought of going back to the otherworlds. But on a brighter note, Shira and Diego recently told us that they were expecting! I couldn't be more happier for them! 9 months from now, they'll have mini versions of themselves running around and playing in the snow! Sid, Peaches and Louis were just as pumped as I was, even Manny. As the former would say: "We'll have an even bigger and happier herd!".

_I honestly don't blame them for being excited! I'm really happy for those guys..._

At first, I was reluctant to return to my school due to the bullying I endured before. But because of the fact that I was due to enter college next month, I convinced myself to go back for a short while. Most of the teachers were aware of the ordeal I went through, and believed us when my parents and I told them what happened. We thought that they wouldn't, but ... I guess we were in for a little surprise. The members of staff who taught my class then passed the information onto the other students and explained about my condition and the difficulties I go through because of it. I wasn't expecting them to become more friendly towards me as it was a complete shock! Even the girls who assaulted me on that fateful day began treating me kindly, apologising for their actions. I was slightly uncomfortable to begin with, and I still am. But ... I hope that we could move past those events and possibly become friends in the future. I guess there's no harm in trying, right?

I know I've changed quite a bit, due to the traumatic ordeal my family and I went through. I still have shades of the shy and quiet girl I once was, but I've become more confident and willing to take risks. Instead of having no friends whatsoever, I now have a group of friends who I socialise with every chance I get. I venture outside a lot more than how I used to, and I've become more mature and slightly happier. But deep down ... I still suffer from my severe survivors' guilt. I sometimes wish I could go back in time and prevent Elise, Maria and Cybil from dying at the hands of Sullivan. They didn't deserve to die at all! I feel like ... I feel like I deserved it. Maybe things would have been different if I did something sooner to save them! I could have acted faster and prevented their deaths from occuring!

I think ... due to what happened, I've become a little distant to new people I cross paths with. The reason why is that ... I developed a fear of being forced to relive the moments I watched my first three friends die and being alone. I've become more hardened. I am still a bit of a softie as I love spending time with everyone I know but ... I don't want to go through the same thing again, losing those I hold close to my heart. I ... I don't think I can handle watching people I meet die anymore. I can't dwell on the ordeal for too long though. I know bad things happen, but we can pick ourselves up again and keep going. Just like Sonic and his friends would say; Live through negative events, and move on. Because there are much more positive things to look forward to in life.

_But I will never forget the first four friends I made, especially Eileen and Elise. Even though the latter and I didn't get the chance to interact a lot, she ... she was like an older sister to me... _

"Hey Megan, how did your results go?!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin when Sonic's cheerful voice rang out as he entered my room. Clad in a pair of light-blue jeans, black and white converses, a purple t-shirt with a black long-sleeved shirt underneath, I had recently gotten my exam results back and managed to achieve postive grades in English, Drama, Maths and Science! The other subjects were a little difficult, but I was glad that I had the right number of grades to get into any of the courses that were avaliable at Ashfield's college. Mum and Dad were just as excited as I was, instantly telling our other relatives the good news as soon as we got home.

"Whoops!" Sonic yelped, chuckling when he noticed that I jumped. "Sorry kiddo, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Don't worry, it's okay." I responded, sending a huge grin in his direction. "Um, my results are pretty good actually! I managed to get the grades I need for the course at the college I'm going to!"

"_Niiiiice!_" My blue friend said, giving me a thumbs-up. "So, do you know where you're going next month?"

"Not yet. Although, I think it's probably the college in North Ashfield." I answered honestly. "I don't know when we're all getting out of this city but for now, it's most likely gonna be there."

"Oh right," Sonic repiled, happily. "I don't know either, but I'm hoping it's going to be soon. I can't wait to get out there and go on adventures! There's literally _so many _places we can visit!"

I gave a cheerful giggle, upon hearing the blue blur's words. Oh Sonic, you awesome hedgehog... "I don't blame you there, mate. Don't let me or anyone else stop you from doing what you do best, though."

"Hey, as long as the wind blows, I'll be running. Don't you worry about that."

Smiling, I nodded. "Okay."

As the two of us continued chatting, thoughts on the future drifted into my head. I was about to enter the next chapter of my life, and anything could happen! I could make new friends, meet someone special, visit exciting places and find a job I liked. The possiblites were endless. I know this may be the end of my story, but ... I honestly feel like I have a couple more pages I need to fill in. Team Sonic and the Herd would venture out into the world and do the things they love. And, that was what I was going to do!

Bring it on world! I'm ready for what ever challenges you're willing to throw at me! You want to know why?

_Because, I will live life to the fullest in the time I have ... and smile._


End file.
